Cousins
by DrippingInk
Summary: Cheri, Olive and Cupcake have moved to the village of Veltron to start new chapters in their lives. Will they fit in with the crowd or experience backlash from their neighbours? Completed!
1. The Village in the Forest

**COUSINS  
Chapter 1: The Village in the Forest**

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It was pretty unusual when Cheri, Olive and Cupcake came to town. The three of them are cousins, each with a different personality. Cheri was a very outgoing red bear who loved making friends, and was almost always cheery. Olive was a shy grey bear, but was very loyal and sweet. Cupcake was a snobby, popular pink bear, who could be very honest when she wanted to be.

They arrived in late April. Everyone was preparing themselves for spring cleaning, one of the chirpiest times of the year. There hadn't been any new faces in the village since the Sports Fair, which had been held in late March.

Tom Nook, the local businessman, greeted them at the train station. The three bears descended upon their new village: Veltron. They were dressed in summertime attire, despite the fact that it was still the slightest bit chilly outside.

"Make room for the cousins!" Cupcake called out, playing with the bonnet she had on her head.

"**YIPPEE!** This is such a pretty town!" Cheri exclaimed, an enormous grin on her face.

"How... pretty..." Olive commented, taking in a couple deep breaths. "Let's go look for our house."

Tom Nook told the cousins that they didn't have to worry about looking for their house, and that he would lead them right to it.

"Cheri, Cupcake and Olive are your names?" Mr. Nook asked the girls. They each nodded. "Very good, then! Very good! Your house is located in Acre D-2, which is located next to the wishing well, situated in Acre D-3. Please do not forget that valid information, ladies."

While walking to their house, the bears were introduced to two of their fellow townies: T-Bone the bull, the local town botanist, and Pierce the eagle, the local town craftsman. They were also introduced to the local police officers, Copper and Booker, who were located in Acre C-4.

They finally arrived in Acre D-2. There was a large empty house sitting between two elm trees. The roof was a romantic maroon red, with streaks of snow white running down the sides of the house. The head was a beautiful peach with gold surrounding it.

Olive sighed when she saw the house and said that it was the most breathtaking thing that she had ever seen, but Cheri broke into her thoughts and said that it probably wasn't. Mr. Nook and Cupcake laughed.

"So... the total of your house comes to... two hundred and forty-eight thousand bells," Mr. Nook said, with a small smirk on his face. "That's a lot of money for three young lasses like yourselves. In my opinion, you'd better get jobs and cut down on purchasing the island clothing."

"Shut your trap, sir!" Cupcake exclaimed, annoyed. "How dare you tell me what and what not to wear! Clothes are my pride and joy! If you expect me not to buy clothes, then I'd have to eat you alive! I'm certainly not getting myself a job! I'll leave that up to my cousins."

Cheri gave her cousin the evil eye. "What did you say? We're gonna work and you're not? I **_DON'T THINK SO_!**"

"Girls, girls, please... can we go get our belongings from the train station? I don't want to just sit there and argue over who's gonna work, and who's not gonna work. If our debt is that much money, then we're all gonna work, day or night, rain or shine!" Olive told her cousins.

The other two agreed with the grey bear, and they went back to the train station, grabbing their belongings that the porter put on trolleys for them. They unpacked very fast, and went to sleep, even though it was only 4:00 p.m. Jet lag had taken its toll on them.

April was coming to a close. The girls woke up the next morning, which was the 30th, at 6:00 a.m.

Cupcake was the only one who was able to cook, even though she loathed it, which ticked her off. Cheri and Olive were having a conversation about the turnip stock market while she was cooking, which got them into thinking about what kind of jobs they were going to have to get.

"Clothing is more of Cupcake's thing... we should leave that to her," Olive said to Cheri. "I should get some kind of painting job. I know that I'm an artist, but... what if I'm not good enough? What if the animals just laugh at me?"

"_They won't_," Cheri assured the grey bear. "Just don't think like that and you should be good to go, 'kay?"

Sighing, Olive nodded. "Okay."

Cupcake finished making breakfast a few minutes later. Pancakes were on the three plates, with a side of toast dipped in raspberry jelly. The smell was absolutely amazing. Cheri liked it so much that she didn't even want to touch her food.

"Eat up women," Cupcake told her cousins. "We have a long list of things to do today! First, we have to go grocery shopping and buy some sports goods from Nook's place. Then we have to go sign some contracts at the police station... I can't remember why though, but it's a valid reason. I'm so stupid, but yeah, anyway. Then we gotta go to the Able Sisters so I can find out my shifting schedule. Yes, I applied yesterday while you guys ran around getting familiar with the village."

Finally taking a bite out of her pancakes, Cheri commented, "Don't keep building up your self-esteem, Cupcake. You may just blow a fuse." The pink bear just rolled her eyes, and took a deep breath, sipping her morning tea.

"Where do you plan on working?" Cupcake asked Cheri.

"Not sure..." Cheri said, her voice growing smaller. "Maybe... hmm... I don't know. Never mind that previous thought. I just don't know. Maybe I can help out around the museum or something... or maybe not. I don't know, I really don't know."

"For a start, that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean, we do need the income, and any job is good for now, even if it doesn't end up being your career, Cheri," Olive told the red bear, who was now picking her nails.

Stuffing the last of her pancakes into her mouth, Cupcake mumbled between chews, "Just go for it if you'd like to, Cheri. No biggie. No biggie at all!" A bit of pancake crust dropped into Cupcake's lap and she shrieked at the top of her lungs, announcing to her cousins that she no longer looked presentable toward the town.

"Please don't take a few hundred years to decide upon another outfit, please," Olive demanded her cousin, in a sweet tone.

"_Yeah, yeah, I'll hurry!_" Cupcake shouted back.

The women left the house at half past ten. Their first destination was the department store that Mr. Nook owned. He didn't just sell home furnishings, gardening and household necessities, but he also sold groceries and any sports goods.

Mr. Nook greeted them at the door. "Hello, Cheri. Good morning, Olive. Nice to see you again, Cupcake. What do you bears need?"

"Groceries and tennis equipment. The three of us are expert tennis players. Especially Olive," Cheri complimented her cousin. "She got third place in last year's _Country Championship_, better known as _CC_. She lost what could have been a silver medal to the eventual gold medallist. It was a sad moment. I got ninth place while Cupcake got eleventh place. All in all, we did fairly well!"

There was silence for a few minutes.

"_Y-y-yeah_... Can we just get what we came here for, Cheri? Long stories aren't necessary right now..." Olive stammered in a quiet voice.

Mr. Nook picked up all of the things that the girls requested. "My, my, my, my, my, my, ladies. You're _already_ blowing your cash and you haven't even been here for eighteen hours yet. That's very unfortunate. You have only two weeks to pay back ten thousand bells, so you'd better move yourselves."

"**_I hope God damns you when it's your time!_**" Cupcake yelled at the businessman. "_You stupid raccoon_."

"_What _did you just call me?" Mr. Nook shot back, but the bears had already left the store. It didn't look like they were going to put up with him.

The girls continued to go sign the contracts at the police station, which ended up being crime forms, asking if they'd ever been involved in any sort of crime or offense before. They hadn't been though, so they didn't stay for long.

Cupcake got her shift hours from the tailor, which didn't please her too much, but if she was going to be making money, she was content. Her hours were 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from Tuesdays to Sundays, excluding Friday. Her pay was 300 bells an hour, which meant she was making 1500 bells a day. Once that's multiplied by five days, Cupcake discovers that she's making 7500 bells during her work week.

"That's **NOT** bad at all. For all you know, Olive, you may not need to get a job at the museum!" Cupcake exclaimed with glee.

"I'm going to one way or another," Olive told Cupcake. "I need to occupy myself. I can't just sit around lounging all day. What a bore that would be. And my life is not going to be a bore. I'm gonna be working."

"Okay, well that's your decision. So if you want, then go ahead!" Cupcake said.

Once everything was taken care of, the bears decided that they were going to go to the pond and practice their fishing, which they hadn't been able to do in a while.

"Do you think we'll meet any townies we haven't been introduced to yet?" Olive asked.

"We could. _Who knows_!" Cheri exclaimed, picking up her fishing pole. "One of my favourite parts of fishing is that you don't even have to think. Well, no, that would be a lie. But anyhow, yeah, I never think when fishing. I just wait to see if some animal will come by."

The cousins went off to the pond in hopes of meeting new animals.

When they arrived, there was a dog fishing. He had brown fur, and black eyes, and he was wearing a baggy shirt, along with an evil frown on his face. It didn't look like he was doing a good job at fishing that day.

"Hello! Who are you?" Cheri asked the dog.

"Shut your trap. I must concentrate!" came the reply. He spat into the pond, scaring his prey away. "_**Aww, drat!**_"

Olive approached the dog. "If you keep huffing and gruffing, you're not going to get anywhere in fishing. Care for some pointers?"

The dog gave the evil eye to Olive. "You fat little grey bear! I don't need pointers from whom I'm assuming is a novice fisher! I've won the fishing tourney for the past five years in a row in this town! I can't wait to hook some lunkers in June! I'm gonna win the entire thing again! No need for help!"

Shaking her head, Olive grabbed her fishing pole and threw the line into the water.

"Like I asked before, mister dog, do you have some sort of a name?" Cheri asked, in an aggressive voice.

Rolling his eyes, and spitting again, the dog answered, "You know, ma'am, for a cute thing, you're definitely an annoying bug. The name is Butch, and I'm the town fisher. I work at the dock near the waters. I load and unload the boxes that the captain brings from other ports. Well, not that this town is a port, 'cuz it surely ain't. And may I ask for a short description 'bout yourself, lass?"

"Flattered, really," Cheri replied. "I'm a young bear named Cheri and I just graduated from Biennia University in Pomlierville, a few villages over. I was majoring in sciences, but I can't seem to find a job in this town that involves science at all. So I'm basically screwed. Three of my pastimes include playing tennis, gardening and fishing, obviously. I'm definitely into the outdoors."

Butch nodded. "Great. Okay, then. I guess I'll be seeing you at the fishing tourney come June."

"I guess you will be!" Cheri exclaimed.

Cupcake walked over to the socializing two. "Hey, hey. What's up? Who's this dog? I think I saw him coming here earlier this morning while we were running to sign the valid papers at the police station, am I not correct?"

"I don't know. Perhaps," Cheri replied.

"Well, anyhow..." Cupcake said, raising an eyebrow. She seemed to be taken with the dog. "Since fishing wears out your bones and... well, tires you out, would you care to come over for dinner tonight? I make a delicious spaghetti, and that's what's on the menu!"

"**CUPCAKE!**" Cheri cried at her cousin.

Butch, on the other hand, seemed to be infatuated with this idea. "I haven't tasted spaghetti in the longest of times! I'd die to have it run down my throat again! The only problem is, my cooking is like trash. So, that would be a delightful idea. I accept your invitation."

Cupcake jumped with joy. "Excellent!" she cried, and ran off home to prepare the meal.

"I wonder if your friend knows that it's only noon. I haven't even had my lunch yet, heh!" Butch exclaimed, turning to look at Cheri.

"Her name is Cupcake, and I'm her cousin. Actually, so is the grey bear that you blew off a few minutes ago. I'm the youngest cousin, while Cupcake is the oldest. She's also the only one who can cook out of the three of us, so it's kind of sad, actually, but whatever. I'll stop rambling now."

Butch nodded. "Okay. Then I'll see you tonight. I've got to go wash up and get to work. Tell Cupcake that I'll be over at 7:00 p.m., whether she likes it or not!"

Cheri watched as Butch walked off and complimented him under her breath. "It's too bad that he's already fallen for Cupcake and vice versa. I could really go for a guy like that. But whatever. I'll be destined to find love one day... Olive'll never get a guy... yeah."

Picking up her pole, Cheri began fishing.


	2. Picture Imperfect

**COUSINS  
Chapter 2: Picture Imperfect**

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"Dum-de-doo-de-dah-doo-dee-dah-doo," Cupcake sang, while cooking dinner.

It was quarter to five, and Cheri had just stepped into the house. Her pockets were full of fish, and the stench quickly glided throughout the house, catching Cupcake's nostrils by sudden surprise. The pink bear didn't like the smell of fish.

"What is that disgusting odour?" Cupcake barked, walking to the front door.

The bears' house consisted of three small rooms: the kitchen and living room area, the bedroom and the bathroom. Cupcake didn't have to go far to find her cousin removing her shoes.

Stretching her arms, Cheri greeted her cousin with a smile and a cheery, "_Hello!_"

"Don't give me that kinda crap!" Cupcake snapped at Cheri. "The number one rule around this house is that we don't bring fish into it. If you want to cook it, that's fine by me, as long as it's done outdoors. Now I've got to go to Nook's and buy an air freshener. How horrifying it would be when Butch came over and gagged because of the... eww, fish!"

Waving an arm and Cupcake, Cheri cried, "Yeah, yeah. Just let me put my pole away. Oh, by the way, Olive just went to the museum to apply for that... what's it called again? ...Oh! Right! Visual artist! Yeah, so, she said she'd probably be back by 6:00 o' clock."

Cupcake smiled. "What a trooper! I hope she gets the job! Now, take all of this... eww... stuff outside, please, Cheri!"

The red bear complied, and quickly removed all of the fish she caught from her pockets, and tossed them out onto the front lawn. "I can boil some water and we can put the fish into the salad you're making. That would taste remarkable."

"Indeed. Now go wash up before you go back out. You smell of freshwater gobies!" Cupcake exclaimed, cupping her nose with her hand.

While the red bear went to change into different attire, Cupcake walked back to the stove, where she found her spaghetti starting to overcook. Fast as lightning, she turned the stove off and took the lid off of the pot. Steam rose like a fire had been set on the noodles. But once it all blew away, Cupcake found that the noodles were just right.

Dumping the food into a big bowl, Cupcake started working on the sauce.

At around 6:00, just like she had promised, Olive knocked on the front door.

"Did you get the job?" Cupcake asked, not even letting Olive remove her shoes, or say a word of her own. But she didn't seem to mind though, because her face was long, and it looked like the only thing that would bring it up again was cosmetic surgery.

"If you _really_ want to know all about it... okay, I'll tell you, but it's a horrible story..." Olive mumbled under her breath, but Cupcake was still able to catch each word in the order she say them in.

"I guess," Cupcake replied, suddenly losing a bit of interest.

Sighing, Olive began her story. "When I got there a few hours ago, I was introduced to Blathers, the manager of the museum. He told me to paint a picture, so he could evaluate if I was good enough for the job. After I painted the picture, he laughed. He commented that it was the worst piece of art he'd ever seen and threw it to the ground. _It tore in half_. I wanted to burst into tears, but just ran. And that's how it ended."

Cheri and Cupcake looked at each other, and exchanged shocked looks. They couldn't believe that Olive had been rejected for something that she had been good at her entire life. But from the looks on her face, she didn't seem to mind, even though she wanted to cry at the time.

"It's not the end of the world. I'll just scout out for a different job," Olive told her cousins, a little more cheerful than when she had told the story.

Walking into the other room, Cheri and Cupcake heard Olive letting out a large groan. Her feelings were going to come out eventually, and they just hoped that it wasn't going to be during the dinner that was in an hour.

Butch rang the doorbell at 7:00 p.m. sharp. Cupcake was sitting on the couch, and suddenly jumped to her feet. "Like, oh my gosh! He's, like, _here!_ Cheri and Olive, get to the table this instant! And serve those damn fish salads before I have a seizure! _NOW!_"

The two bears rushed to the table and obeyed Cupcake's commands like she was a wicked witch planning on eating them if they hadn't. They could hear Butch being greeted by their pink cousin and showering him with compliments. Olive just moaned.

"...Yes, and this over here is our living room, filled with the most elegant of furniture you will ever find: classic! High-priced, glorious, delicate classical-themed furniture! I do hate bragging, indeed, but I must admit that it is fun to do it every once in awhile! My apologies if I'm extending the limits right now!" Cupcake was heard exclaiming in the other room.

"Hag," Olive said, under her breath, and Cheri let out a small chuckle.

After a few more minutes, Butch and Cupcake walked into the kitchen, smiles on their faces.

"Good evening, Mr. Butch," Cheri greeted the dog, shaking hands with him. He said hello to the red bear, and then shook hands with Olive, who gave him one of the most sarcastic expressions that he'd ever seen on someone's face.

The first thing that Butch did when he saw what was on the table, was sniff. Spaghetti was etible to him, as was the fish salad. The only thing that he was unsure of was the small dish of carrots and celery they had. The dog was not a fan of any vegetable except for sweet potatoes.

Cupcake sat down at the head of the table and said, "Before we eat, we must say our thanks to the lord for this food. Cheri, you will read the latter of the prayer tonight, and Olive, you will read the middle. I shall start it off. Butch, you shall listen."

Shrugging, the dog nodded his head.

_"This joy we bring to the table,_  
_Is a blessing from the gods._  
_Thank you for this meal,_  
_Thank you for our shelter._  
_Thank you for this life,_  
_This life that we are living._  
_Amen."_

After the prayer was concluded, the four animals dug into their food. Cheri began by eating the fish salad that she had made, while Olive started with the vegetables, as did Cupcake. Butch, being the dog he was, rotated between each plate. He decided that he would eat the vegetables, just to please Cupcake.

"So, what did you say your job was again, Butch?" Cupcake asked her crush, through sips of champagne.

Not wanting to make Cupcake wait, Butch quickly swallowed his food and answered, "I work at the dock. Remember?" He smiled a toothy smile, revealing noodles caught between a few of his teeth. Olive burst into a bust of laughter.

"_HEY!_" Cupcake screamed at the top of her lungs, forcing Cheri to cover her ears. "We don't need any laughter from the peanut gallery, Olive! Besides, what do you know about working? All you do during the day is paint and draw. So if I were you, I wouldn't be talking!"

Cheri jumped to her feet. "Yo, shut your mouth, Cupcake! We barely began dinner and you're already raising a fit!"

The pink bear turned to look at her red cousin. "Keep out of this, Cheri. Dinner may have just begun, but so far, Olive has not been cooperating! We don't require any immediate laughing when I turn to ask a question! Utter nonsense!"

Olive was so angry at her cousin that she threw her bowl of vegetables at her. Cupcake was covered in vegetable sauce, carrots and celery. It was a frantic site. Butch was shocked to see how fast that three girls could turn on each.

"**YOU... IDIOT! I'LL THROW YOU OUT OF THIS HOUSE IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN!**" Cupcake bellowed so loudly that she cut off her own voice. "**...AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S NOT SUCH A BAD IDEA! GET OUT!**" Grabbing a pot, Cupcake began chasing Olive around the house.

Butch got up from his seat and headed towards the door. Just before he left the house, Cheri clutched his shoulder and said, "I'd better warn you that Cupcake and Olive have been feuding against one another since the day they had been introduced to each other! It's barely been three days, but I don't think it's gonna be a good idea having these two under the same roof."

But Butch just shrugged. "This isn't my problem, Cheri... but... I have an idea. If you want to separate these two - wait a darn minute. They weren't fighting yesterday or anything. They actually looked like two best friends, and all of a sudden they just turn on each other? Doesn't that just seem a little more than just confusing? I don't believe you. This is an act. You set it up, didn't you? Goodbye."

And he was gone.

_And he was right_.

"We're not very good actresses, are we?" Olive asked Cheri, putting an arm around Cupcake. The two sisters laughed at each other and began cleaning up the mess they had left from trying to win over the dog. But it hadn't worked.

"So, what are we gonna do tomorrow? Nothing at all?" Cheri asked, standing in the bedroom doorway, watching her sisters.

"I guess not," the other two replied in unison.

After cleaning up, the three cousins went fishing until 10:00 p.m. Olive, who was an early-to-bed, early-to-rise girl, crashed out immediately when they returned home, while Cheri stayed up another hour. Finally, at midnight, Cupcake turned her lights out.

And asleep the three bears were... awaiting the dawn.

The next day would too be a bundle of surprises.


	3. Rich Girl

**COUSINS  
Chapter 3: Rich Girl**

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Shades of honeydew gold poked their way over the apathetic horizon, climbing up into a cloudless sky, and gazing down on Veltron in cyclic flashes of luminescent sunlight. The ocean was like the sky's baby brother that morning, a sparkling reflection of deep cerulean rippling out into the uncharted distance, or at least somewhere beyond the comforts of simple village life. The town bell sounded five times: it was 5:00 AM, and Olive stirred from her dainty dreams, more chipper than a blue jay in a birdbath despite the unseemly hour. Inching toward the kitchen, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, stretched her neck from side to side, and grinned at the long easterly shadows that stretched across the way. The kitchen was practically bejewelled, and it could have been mistaken for a church, what with the beautiful colours that were as divine and vibrant as any stained-glass window. Olive put on a pot of tea, letting it boil for twice as long just to soak up more sun.

A half hour later, Olive changed into a Zebra Print — one of Cupcake's recent investments, no doubt — rather than her usual gardening apron, brushed her teeth, and put on her favourite pair of burgundy flip-flops, thinking herself deserving of a quick walk along the beach. The date was May 1st, a nice reminder of the summer that was to come, but the nippiness of the mid-spring nights was still nestling against the heat of the sun, culminating in a rather quaint feeling that proved neither innocuous nor intolerable. Olive stepped out onto the porch and breathed in the cool mist; it cleared her sinuses, if giving them a bit of a pinch. The whispers in the wind were singing into her fur, which stood on edge until a warming sensation brought it back down to earth. Everything about this day felt right so far. Even the beach, a yummy honey brown in the dawn, looked like a big backyard that was just waiting to be played in.

"Breathtaking," was her delicate declaration. "I feel like I'm at home..."

Intrigued by the scenery, Olive strolled along the beach, readying to position herself in front of the rolling waves. "The mornings here are as beautiful as they were back home," she complimented her surroundings. "Oh, those memories, those unforgettable memories. Why am I... reminded of home when I look at the ocean?" Her speculation was silently received and the words disappeared into thin air.

The temperature was 15°C that morning. It suggested the forthcoming summer, but at the same time it was not yet anticipated because the forecast predicted cooler temperatures than usual that May. Butterflies were beginning to return to Veltron, joined by other lesser-known insects—otherwise, it was still early to expect the summer to suddenly emerge, evident by many of its lacking factors. The water was a dark blue and incredibly cold.

Olive removed her hand from the water the moment she put in. "Oh... it's freezing!" she exclaimed. The bear looked up and out at the ocean, watching the seagulls flying overhead to distant locations, including an island of tremendous beauty south of Veltron. "What a view. Oh my, it's so lovely. At times like these I wish there was someone with me." Her voice rose, spreading across the beach.

A pair of flip-flops stepped out from behind a bush and a sheep stood behind Olive. Evidently female by her clothing and hairstyle, she was wearing a shirt with colourful flowers on it, and a blue scarf was wrapped around her neck. Her fur was white and lightly toned brown, with exception of her face, which was as black as night. She was moderately tall.

"You don't have to be alone," the sheep said pleasantly, her voice ringing like the gentle lapping of the nearby ocean waves. "I can join you, if you'd like." She approached Olive and curtsied. "My name is Vesta. I'm glad to meet you." They exchanged handshakes.

"Likewise," Olive responded fragilely. "I'm Olive. Um, tell me about yourself." Her statement almost seemed interrogative.

Vesta smiled. "I live in north-eastern Veltron and enjoy reading books. One of my customs is to wake up early and watch the ocean. It's been one of my passions for many, many years, but I never had anybody to do it with. Now that I think about it, I don't believe I've seen you in this village before. Did you recently move here? There hasn't been a new resident to Veltron since the autumn! Tell me more about yourself!"

Olive blushed somewhat. "I moved in two days ago with my cousins. We live in Acre D-2."

Vesta cleared her throat. "That's wonderful news! It's very common for the animals of Veltron to come and go, with some exceptions, such as myself and a few others. Generally somebody moves out every two or three weeks and others leave before they even step off the train. That's just the way of life around here." She momentarily paused, a sigh triggering memories. "...Anyway, so you're living with your cousins, yes? I don't believe a family has moved to this village in a very long time. Where are you from? Nearby? Far away? The city or country?"

The heat of the sun was expanding—Olive felt as though the temperature had significantly risen in the last three minutes. "We're from the capital, actually. There are three of us, and I'm the middle-cousin, as we say. We were born and raised in different families, but we lived in the same house and attended the same schools and tennis classes. Of course, we occasionally fight and we have qualities and traits that separate us from each other, which is normal. I wouldn't consider that a surprise."

"Indeed, indeed!" Vesta exclaimed. Her character was bubbly, but not eccentric. "Now I do believe we're ready to watch the ocean. The sunrise is beautiful today, maybe more so than usual... I don't know why, but I think it's because of the fresh new face that I just happened to encounter this morning." The animals turned to the gigantic sea, a million kilometres into oblivion, disappearing beyond the horizon. It was almost silent, except for the ocean waves and seagulls irritably whining overhead. Vesta continued, "I also think the ocean is lovely, again maybe more so today because of you, Olive... it's nice to have somebody to talk with this early in the morning. Have you always been an early riser?"

Olive nodded. "I'm always up by 5:00 AM every single day," she answered, a smile on her face. She had never been able to have a normal conversation with anybody in her life, her awkward combination of embarrassment and isolation strengthening this. For years she had considered herself a loner, and although she was jumpy on occasion, it was challenging for her to maintain that nature, especially when she was disappointed or upset. In a trance by what was happening, Olive did not know what else to say, which instead provoked Vesta to respond.

"That's nice! This village has one or two early risers, including myself. We're a hard 'breed' to come by, but it's a breeze finding those that sleep until noon or 1:00 PM. Saying that, those are usually the rotten eggs. It's best not to get involved with those animals." Vesta stuck her nose in the air mockingly and clapped her hands like a child. The girls laughed.

At 6:15, Olive checked her watch, astounded to learn that a whole hour had passed. Vesta was aware of this and asked her if she had yet to eat breakfast.

"Yeah, I already did. I don't like going through the fridge and having to decide what to eat in the morning, so whatever is lying around goes on my plate." She laughed, wiping her brow. As the temperature continued to rise, rapidly for that hour of the day, the animals began to walk away from the ocean, and back into Veltron.

Vesta nodded slowly. "I usually eat breakfast around this time every morning. My belly is _so_ empty. I wonder what I should cook... I guess I should've eaten more than just a bowl of cereal and some rice cake last night. This should be a lesson, but I suppose we all need to make mistakes to live our lives." They laughed uproariously. "So I'll be on my way," the sheep continued, stretching her arms. "If you'd like to visit sometime, feel free to. I live in Acre B-4. Which acre do you live in again...?"

"Acre D-2," responded Olive blankly. Her voice rose in pitch and she suddenly seemed to gain interest in what she wanted to say. "We don't live too far from each other, do we? All I know is I have a clearer view of the water. Yours is less impressive, but you probably don't mind walking a little longer, right?" The grey bear amused herself with rhetorical questions for another minute before realizing that they were standing outside her house. Vesta tapped her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.

"Anyway, I will see you later. Say hello to your cousins for me! Bye, Olive!" Vesta waved as she began walking toward her house.

Upon entry into her house, Olive decided to cook scrambled eggs for her cousins. Cheri and Cupcake were still sleeping—Cheri most commonly woke at 7:00 AM, while Cupcake's schedule varied, sometimes as early as 7:30, and other times until 11:00. Because Cupcake was going to start working that day though, she had to be up at 9:00, which she had detailed to her cousins before going to bed the previous night. Olive considered making bacon too, but she was unable to locate the strips in the refrigerator, and set two plates of eggs on the table. She was positive they would appreciate her work.

At 8:30, Olive went outside and began hanging the laundry from the luggage they had unpacked since moving in. A few minutes later, Cheri walked out the front door, a smirk on her face suggesting thanks, but at the same time control because of Olive's thoughtful nature that morning. Cheri greeted her cousin and approached the line, almost entirely full of clothing and undergarments.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning!"

"I'm going to assume you'd taken off earlier," Cheri commented. "The eggs were good, Olive. Anyway, uh, what do you have planned for the day? I was going to ask if you wanted to volunteer with me at the train station later. An auction is going to be held and... well, basically it's a campaign to help support those with less money than what we've got. Also, I'm sure the government wants more animals with a skill in art because there are several posters that need to be painted."

Olive sighed almost hollowly. "Art... well, I really appreciate the offer, Cheri, but you should know me better than—"

"That's what you always say these days!" Cheri interrupted angrily. She attempted to soften her tone. "Listen, I was hoping you and I could spend the afternoon together because helping the poor is the right thing to do. For all you know, we could make friends at the event, which would be nice. After all, it never hurts to be social. It's difficult for you to process that information though. I know you want to try making friends, but there's that fear inside you that gets in the way."

A short silence followed. "...That is not necessarily true," Olive said perplexedly.

Cheri rolled her eyes. "Oh, really? I doubt it."

Olive deeply inhaled and exhaled. "I was walking along the beach this morning. I met someone. Her name is Vesta and she's a white sheep with a black face. We share a lot of interests, Cheri, such as rising early and watching romantic-themed films. We also love watching the sea and discussing anything and everything that has to do with art. Did you know one of her paintings is displayed at the Museum? I think that's amazing. It certainly won't be happening to me since the curator loathed mine, but still, I'm impressed!"

There was more silence. "You... made a friend?" Cheri seemed speechless. "Well, congratulations. I'm... glad."

A toothy grin appeared on Olive's face. "Thank you!" She threw a sweater over the line.

"Anyway, will you come later?" Cheri almost persistently asked the question, folding her arms and trying to look intimidating. "It starts at 2:00 this afternoon. Because today is Veltron's annual Spring Cleaning festival—some stores are closed—the government's decided to hold it at the train station. Olive, you just _have_ to come! Hey, Vesta could be there! I know you want to spend time with her now that you've met someone you've grown attached to."

Olive shrugged. "Well, I just met her... I wouldn't say I'm attached to her. I'm happy I've made a friend, that's all. It's been a long time since I've been around someone that I truly care about. I miss Yuka a lot. Still, maybe it'd be good for me to get out and enjoy the day! It's amazingly beautiful, wouldn't you say?" The grey bear finished hanging the laundry and inhaled deeply again.

Cheri smiled and somewhat chuckled. "I'm glad! ...Wow, I've only been glad for Olive today!" Her chuckle steadily rose before changing into awkward laughter, frightening Olive, who lifted a basket off the ground and took it inside. The temperature was no longer rising, but it was still going to be rather a warm day.

The kitchen was quiet. Sighing, Olive opened the refrigerator and retrieved a pear. "If Vesta _is_ there, she probably enjoys contributing in charities and fundraisers. She's definitely a nice sheep, even nicer than I'd originally made her out to be." While eating the pear, Olive paced around the kitchen, scanning it several times. It was difficult adjusting to a new lifestyle. To pass the time, she decided to unpack the remaining luggage.

Cheri and Olive arrived at the train station exactly at 2:00 PM. There were very few animals present, most of whom they had yet to meet. The Mayor was standing on top of a very large riser, which extended five metres into the air. He was directing the construction of the auction desk, unassembled and scattered about on the cobblestone. Cheri broke away from Olive and quickly approached him, asking if she could lend a hand in its production.

A number of white-clothed tables were in front of the train station. Some had several articles of clothing and various items on them, but others were empty. The train station attendants were walking around, instructing the animals nearest to them to prepare for the auction, to be held within the next two hours. There were also banners lying on the ground, many of them unfinished.

Olive saw her. Vesta was working with Punchy on the biggest banner to be hung on the train station.

"Hey, Vesta!"

Vesta's head darted sideways at the sound of her name. She spotted the grey bear coming toward her. "Hello, Olive! I assume you are here to help with the art for these banners? Grab a paintbrush and begin! Just don't paint over the message we are trying to promote, which is _Veltron Supporting Those Less Fortunate_. It's this year's motif, you could say."

Sometime later, Cheri approached Vesta and they exchanged greetings and handshakes.

"I hear you are the youngest of three cousins," Vesta said to Cheri, who nodded in response. "I think that's something to be proud of. Me, I don't have cousins, but instead a lot of brothers. Sometimes I lose count in my head. They're all younger than me, so none of them live here in Veltron. Speaking of which, are all of you the same age?"

Olive did some quick math in her head. "Cupcake was born on March 12th. I was born on September 1st. Cheri was born on October 28th. We cover eight months, but age is rarely an issue with us." She laughed. "We've just grown accustomed to Cupcake's status as the elder cousin and Cheri's as the child. That's somewhat strange since we've known each other all our lives."

"Ah, I see, I see," Vesta commented. "Anyway, we need to get these banners done within an hour and we're behind schedule. Come now, Olive, please start painting more. And Cheri, if you've got anything to donate to those less fortunate"—she pointed at a lengthy table—"place it on the table there. Make sure it's appropriate." Vesta shook hands with Cheri again before returning to painting, this time more intently than before.

Pelly was standing behind the table Vesta had been discussing. Pelly was a pelican, moderately tall, and worked the daytime shift at the Post Office. Her figure was slim, but she enjoyed jogging around Veltron on occasion. When the cousins had visited the Post Office the other day to confirm information pertaining to their recent move, they had become fast friends with her. Pelly was overly cheery, but very friendly, and spent a lot of time with friends.

"Thank you so very much," Pelly said. "Please take this ticket with you. At 5:00 PM, there will be a draw. If your ticket is pulled, you will win a fantastic prize. Good luck to you and bless your soul for helping the unfortunate of our beloved country."

Pocketing her ticket, Cheri turned around, eyeing the activities she could possibly participate in. The auction desk still had not been built, and the Mayor was giving specific orders to a group of raccoons dressed in orange, so she decided to look elsewhere. Unlike Olive, Cheri did not possess any artistic skills and after gazing at the banners that her cousin and Vesta were working on, she shook her head frantically. There was only one other activity available, which was setting up and tuning the instruments for the band that was going to play later in the evening.

"That sounds like a good idea," Cheri said. "I haven't played guitar in years—I wonder if I've lost my touch."

At 3:00 PM, as Vesta had predicted, they finished the banner and tied it to the front of the train station. The whole village could likely see it. The Mayor stepped onto the stage that the band was going to play on and announced that the event had officially begun.

"Firstly, I'd like to thank Officer Copper for devoting his time to this event, especially the auction!" The Mayor applauded excitedly. By this time, more animals had been attracted to the event, and they cheered for the officer, who bowed and smiled. "Also, I'd like to thank Vesta for taking the time to organize the event in its entirety. She has been an incredible inspiration to those wanting to help the poorer animals of our country and Veltron itself. I agreed that on May 1st, which is also Spring Cleaning, this festival would be held. Give her a very big round of applause." The crowd applauded again.

Cheri and Olive would not believe what the Mayor was going to say next.

"Vesta has also announced that she is going to donate 250,000 Bells to the Animal Army for clothes, food and shelter!" Nook exclaimed.

Their jaws had dropped. What had they heard? The Mayor had clearly announced to the village that Vesta was donating a whopping degree of money to those less fortunate than her, but what astounded them most was that it was the same amount that their house had cost. The only difference was that Vesta was giving away that much money freely. Had Olive made friends with a _rich_ sheep?

"Let the festival begin!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: Perhaps the new character, Vesta, will provide a basis for the rest of the story. What do you think? Perhaps, perhaps! I really hope you liked this chapter as much as I did. I'll be sure to update as soon as possible!


	4. Picnics and Postcards

**COUSINS  
Chapter 4: Picnics and Postcards  
**

* * *

After learning about Vesta's status in Veltron, Cupcake had become overly excited, using the sheep's wealth as an excuse to visit her every other day. Cupcake's intentions were painfully obvious, and perhaps dishonest, and Olive quickly grew weary of them. Cheri ceaselessly explained to her cousin that Olive was not going to manipulate a new friend of hers because it was simply not the right thing to do. Money supplied a significant basis in the conversation, but it was oddly challenging to differentiate morality. Cupcake predictably groaned in her own dismay.

"You know what I still can't believe?" Cheri asked after sipping her afternoon tea. "Vesta gave away that money like it was just another day of the week. My curiosity is poking at how she got her fortune. For all we know, it might have not been the lottery and an inheritance or something like that."

Olive made a disheartened sound. "Well... that's almost right. Before her father died, he went on an expedition with her mother to Carpenter Mountain, where they found five thousand gold coins. Those coins were worth a lot of money and they managed to sell them for more than a staggering ten million Bells! What a lucky family! Vesta's been able to afford whatever she's wanted on demand since she was in high school."

The numbers changed on the digital clock sitting on the kitchen counter. It was 5:00 PM.

The rough flapping of wings was heard somewhere close by. Cheri rose from her seat, exited the kitchen, and started walking through the hallway to the foyer. With haste she opened the door to find Pete the postman—a pelican well into his years—flying above their house and making his way to one of their neighbour's houses.

There were three letters in the mailbox: two were typically coloured white, but the third was poppy red. "Let's see," Cheri said as she read the return addresses on the envelopes. "Nook will be remodelling his upper floor sometime this week—um, very interesting—oh, Officer Copper thanks us for our participation from the other day... and—_what?_ Mail from the capital? They're writing from home already, well, whatever for? The three of us have barely been living here a week!"

"You must be bluffing," Cupcake spat. Her attitude was still bitter from the previous few days. "What on earth could they be so anxious to tell us so soon? Maybe Pudge did something heroic and they've been on the edge of their seats to get that news to us or something." She rashly grabbed a mug from the kitchen cupboard and placed it on the counter. It spun several times off the force she had caused it.

Olive took the news more lightly and saw it as a gift. "What's the sense in moping over our mothers? They raised all of us far longer than they honestly needed to. Of course, saying that, there was also the possibility of them kicking us out right after high school." Her short speech generated disapproval, but she just groaned and shrugged indifferently.

Inside the envelope were two letters and photographs. Cheri looked at the first picture, and gasped loudly, surprised by what she saw. It was of the cousins' mothers and Cheri's younger siblings, Bluebear, who was skinned a light shade of blue, and Pudge, an honour student who was a pumpkin orange. They stood in front of a gigantic house that Cheri had never seen before. Joyce, Cupcake's mother, was holding a Bubble Shirt on a ruddy hanger. It was one of the only non-Gracie outfits that Cupcake had been looking for since graduation.

"Oh my goodness!" Cheri's sarcasm was somewhat hidden. "Olive, can you believe Aunt Joyce? It took a while, but she finally found that _garment_ for Cupcake. You know, the blue one."

A split second had yet to pass and Cupcake was already rummaging through the remainder of the envelope. After shrieking stridently, which caused Cheri and Olive to momentarily cover their ears, she held the Bubble Shirt in her hands adoringly, after which she almost sank to the ground in reverence. Her lips were glued together, but she moaned deeply, creating an orgasmic-like setting that motivated her cousins to shout random words, most having to do something with being quiet. Cupcake complied, rising excitedly and hurrying to her room to change into the outfit.

"She was a cheetah in her last life," Olive joked intently. "Aunt Joyce might've well worn it in the picture to have hyped her even more. Of course—"

Cheri intervened with a jagged snicker. "Wow, your mum wrote us a novel. Honestly, what's happened in a week?"

Olive snorted and Cheri gave her a look of concern. Olive laughed and said, "Well, you could say that my mum was always into writing and stuff. I bet she would have done incredible things had she not gotten involved with that electrician. Nobody saw that coming, not even me. So much time has passed though—I shouldn't bother thinking about it anymore. Can I see the letter?"

"Certainly," responded Cheri. "Here you are." She handed Olive the letter.

—

_Dear Olive and my nieces,_

_Hello to all three of you! Have you adapted to Veltron? Is it a beautiful village or do you prefer home? Whatever the case, everybody is wishing you well. Although you've just settled in, we were so eager to write and tell you that Bluebear and Pudge entered their final courses in school. Bluebear is performing exceptionally in her technology classes and she is hoping to make it into Tünlesh University in September, where she will study computer sciences as well as a few other less important subjects. Pudge will start teaching at the Academy soon, part of his training. He's excited for that. I hope that all of you are proud of them, especially Cheri since they're her siblings, after all._

_Cupcake will be as pink as a peach when she finds the Bubble Shirt in the envelope. Aunt Joyce was browsing through a thrift shop about two weeks ago and found it, but she didn't want to give it to Cupcake until after she had moved out. Why? No definitive answer. That's what mothers do. It's likely she'll be wearing it until Halloween! I'm right, aren't I?_

_Olive, I want you to take care of yourself. Be very careful. You know I love you._

_I'm going to give the pen to Cheri's mum now. Kisses to everybody! Enjoy the pictures!  
-Roseanne_

—

"Oh, my mum's so silly!" Olive giggled. "She's right though. Cupcake will probably wear that outfit until it turns cold again. When that time comes around, we should write them back detailing their... um, let's call it _accuracy_... or not. One way or another I feel as though that'd be unnecessary. Now, where's the second part of the letter? She said that Aunt Sapphira wrote us too."

Cheri picked up the envelope off the table. A second piece of paper rested inside it, as well as a somewhat damaged photograph, likely from the ruckus caused at the Post Office. The second picture was of Kody, a bear with dark blue fur, and Yuka, a navy blue koala with an attitude similar to Cupcake's. Kody had been Cupcake's first boyfriend, but their relationship ended halfway through high school. They remained good friends afterward, surprisingly enough, and wrote each other once every season. Yuka was one of Olive's only childhood friends whom had recently gotten a job somewhere in the entertainment district of the capital. Kody and Yuka were decent friends, occasionally planning social events with some of their better comrades.

A grin came to Olive's face when she saw the picture. "That's just beautiful. I'm so glad they were able to overcome those personal dramas they went through," she commented. "Yuka's such a good girl. It's amazing that I miss her as much as I do." Flashbacks entered her memory and Olive glanced at the refrigerator, staring at it while the past robbed her of her mentality. She sighed joyously.

Because her cousin was spiritually elsewhere, Cheri decided to read the letter from her mother. It was longer than Roseanne's.

—

_Greetings!_

_Hey! It's been a week since you left home! Since then little has changed, at least for me. Joyce and Roseanne have been going out with their friends often these days and are soaking up all the free time. Bluebear and Pudge are tired of school and very happy that it's ending in a month and a fortnight. Cheri, you should be proud of them! They're getting higher grades than you achieved in school! That's just individually... I can't imagine their marks combined._

_Did you receive the picture of Kody and Yuka? It's a nice one. They visited us the day after we bid you farewell at the train station. We had tea. Kody plans on moving from the capital as well, claiming his name's being called by a far away world. He was always something different, but still I'll pray for his success. On the other hand, Yuka began dating a soap opera actor named Gonzo. We're all so proud of her—she's going to do an excellent job at directing TV series someday. Keep her in your prayers too, okay?_

_The best news of all is that Maple graduated this week! She absolutely did! It's still early May, but the graduation ceremony was held in the park the other day. At the end of June her class is going to pass through Veltron as one of the stops on their field trip to commemorate this event! There's a large likeliness that she'll be able to spend the three days that she'll be there for with you. It's been so long since she last saw the three of you. Maple truly misses seeing your faces and she can hardly wait until her class gets to Veltron!_

_We're taking Bluebear and Pudge out to dinner tonight and Yuka's coming with her boyfriend. It's a shame Maple can't make it since she's at her uncle's this week. She'll be with you soon, though! Look forward to it! I love all of you. Be well!  
-Sapphira_

—

Cheri read the part pertaining to her siblings' grades twice more. Anger dwelled inside her, a form of fury she had not felt in a very long time. Her mother Sapphira was probably one of the most blunt bears in the country, her way with words tacky, but pure. Cupcake's voice interrupted her train of thought, and as the pink bear re-entered the kitchen wearing the Bubble Shirt, a series of snapping echoes obliterated the once-calm household. Cheri tore off a corner of her mother's letter, feeling underappreciated by what she had written.

"Dazzling! Admit it, please, because you know it's absolutely incredible!" exclaimed Cupcake. "Mum has no idea how badly I've wanted this outfit. The trim is comfortable, maybe even more so than most Gracie designs because of the peculiar lace that's used. Now I'm going to need to clean the closet out and place this in there." For some minutes the pink bear explained that they were going to require another bureau because she desired more clothing.

After Cupcake stopped talking, she read the letters with interest and quietly gasped at the sight of the photographs. The image of Kody standing with Yuka initiated a trickle of jealousy in the back of her head, an awful reminder of the pain that she had not wanted to rid of after their relationship had ended. Betrayed and heartbroken—she had looked at it that way, but Joyce had insisted that she had been overreacting.

It was Cheri's turn to whine. "Hey, can I ask something? What's the lowest grade I'd received in school? Any ideas?"

Discussion began. Cupcake, intentionally trying to lower Cheri's grades for entertainment, cited home economics class as the only course that kept her average within a decent range. Although Olive tried her best, she could not remember any specific report cards, with the exception of one, on which her highest mark was 88. She was unable to recall what class it had been though.

"Bah!" Cheri cried. "I don't care anymore. Nope, I don't. I just don't like how my mum has to point out my lousy school performance _all_ the time. Wait, what am I saying? It wasn't lousy... it just never matched Bluebear's or Pudge's, that's all. She treats it like a crime everyday." Frustrated, Cheri tossed the letter across the kitchen. It landed on the floor near the door and picked up some dirt as it drifted to a stop. Her cousins were speechless. "...What's so _bad_ about an 88?"

A mumble came from Olive. "The lowest grade Pudge received in high school was an 85 in the special math program. Bluebear's lowest grade was 83 in the same class the next semester. Cheri, yours was probably something like a 60 or 65. I know you underachieved the last year of school because of your computer games addiction. It's too bad Aunt Sapphira took the computer away from you too late in the semester, otherwise your marks might have been saved. Your average was—"

Cheri waved her hands about and shouted several letters of the alphabet in random order. "Don't tell me! I remember."

Cupcake shook her head. "I think we should drop the topic. High school's been over a year now. Why don't we go for a walk? I can show-off this outfit to the villagers, and for all you know, we'll meet more animals. Other than Tom Nook and Vesta, who else do we know? I can't think of anybody." She had finally finished reading the letters and looking at the pictures, carefully placing them on the table. The clock read 5:15 and the bears decided that they were going to eat an early dinner before going out.

The sun was hovering above the mountain ranges, preparing itself to sink behind them within the next few hours. Cupcake threw herself into the early evening air, desperate to scurry through the town modelling the Bubble Shirt. Although it had only been one week, she knew where most of the residents lived. Cheri and Olive walked behind at a slower pace, quietly socializing.

"Vesta," Olive said. "She's obviously going to show Vesta first. I wonder if she'll care?"

"I'm thinking that too," Cheri concurred. "You'd heard what Cupcake said though. If we run into somebody we don't know, she'll show them anyway. Typical Cupcake. Where do you think she is right now?"

Cheri and Olive caught up to Cupcake quickly. She was talking with a blue bull, whose horns were a striking yellow, resembling a banana, but at the same time almost an uncanny shade of gold. He had introduced himself as T-Bone, a florist studying law. He had a moderate interest in clothes and fashion, evident by his concentration on Cupcake's outfit.

"That looks splendid on you!" T-Bone exclaimed. "I've seen it at Nook's before, but I'd never thought of buying it because it doesn't come in my size. It's also the same blue colour my skin is, unfortunately. I'd look silly. On you, however, I think the outfit looks good." He scratched his chin and contemplated this considerably before changing his mind, stating, "Actually, it looks great, Cupcake! Five stars!"

Cheri joined her cousin in the conversation with Cupcake. "Hello, pleased to meet you," she said, her attention on T-Bone. "My name's Cheri. I'm Cupcake's younger cousin." She exchanged handshakes with the bull, who nodded and bowed courteously to the red bear. "So I see you've met dear Cupcake—and how would you refer to her?"

The wind howled. T-Bone shrugged at the pace of a sloth, raising his shoulders and opening his mouth to say something, but Olive intervened by clapping her hands violently to interrupt the awkwardness of the moment that Cheri had created. "I'm Olive. I'm also a cousin of these two." She was unable to think of anything else to say and instead smiled.

"Stunning!" Cupcake's voice echoed in their ears. "It's not even a Gracie design and I'm flattered to be told that I look good in it! Come on, girls, you all know very well that I look more than _just unbelievable_, right? Well, anyway, I wonder who else would want to see me in this enchanting piece of work?" Without hesitation, Cupcake waved goodbye to T-Bone, and started in the direction of Tom Nook's store. Cheri and Olive laughed at their cousin in her current condition.

Less than a minute later, Cupcake had encountered another resident of Veltron. Named Penny, she was a short mouse no taller than a metre. Like Vesta, the fur around her eyes was not the colour of the rest of her body. Penny was a soil-tanned colour and a much brighter shade of brown circled her eyes. The mouse was wearing an orange spring gown that matched the tone of her skin.

"It's nice to meet you," Penny said, taking Cupcake's hand and shaking it viciously. Cupcake gawked slightly.

"I'm Cheri!"

"My name is Olive. It's a pleasure."

"Likewise!" Penny responded. "I live next door to T-Bone, and he's been my neighbour for many years now, if I'm not mistaken. My house is the one with the brown roof and the garden of white tulips. You girls should drop by for a snack sometime." She bowed in a similar fashion to T-Bone and saw them off as they continued their trek through Veltron. Cupcake announced that she was going to see Vesta next and not take another detour. Her cousins were relieved to hear this.

Although Vesta had just returned home upon their arrival, the sheep welcomed them in with open arms. The interior design of her house almost made all three cousins fall silent. Clothes were assembled throughout the room, thousands of colours clashing with the carpeting and wallpaper, but it did not seem as though Vesta cared about colour coordination. Five metres separated the ceiling and floor, with numerous furniture occupying every remainder of space in between. A luxurious chandelier hung in the middle of the living room above a larger than typical coffee table, on which laid cooking magazines. Pictures were on all the walls, some of Vesta and her parents, while others were of animals the cousins did not know.

"Wow..." Olive breathed slowly. She had lowered her voice. "It's like living in a castle with Veltron as the moat. What a gorgeous house."

Cupcake eyed the living room several times over. Impressed with the layout, and its accompanying choice of colour, the pink bear prepared a speech in her head discussing the room's beauty, but chagrin got the best of her, and she decided to put it off for another time. She could not deny the kitchen or Vesta's bedroom of their libertine styles, though she admitted to herself that she preferred the living room to the others.

"How are all of you doing? Would you like me to put on a pot of tea?" Vesta asked as she entered the kitchen, tying a greying apron around her waist. She suddenly changed the topic: "I'll tell you, it's difficult to participate in the village's constant string of fundraisers, especially because lately I've been spending a lot of money renovating my bedroom—I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart yet. When I first bought this place, it was a mess and I thought it'd be best if I cleaned it up."

Cheri glanced at a wooden grandfather clock that was at least fifty years old. "Some of the items you own are really nice. I'm curious to know how much some of them cost... such as the grandfather clock."

Vesta smiled. "Surprisingly, only 5000 Bells. I won it at an auction last year. The retail price is more than 40,000 Bells! I was lucky!"

Olive laughed excitedly. "That's a lot of money, but when you're rich, spending your entire fortune is like a day-to-day activity. I'm sure Vesta's grown so accustomed to it now that she barely recognizes it. I can't wait to start buying goods instead of paying off a loan. I think we're down to 210,000 Bells. I think that's it..." Her voice trembled at the thought of the debt.

Widening her eyes, Vesta shouted, "Do you really have that much to pay on your house? Oh, I'm sorry to hear this. How about I offer another 10,000 Bells? That'll ease you for a few weeks before Mr. Nook begins breathing down your neck again." She placed the tea kettle on the stove, maximizing the heat. Steam rose from the kettle a minute later.

Cupcake nodded heedlessly at the suggestion, but Olive's protesting skills got in the way. "You're our friend, Vesta! Not the bank! I assure you we will find jobs that satisfy our needs, such as money. The debt will be paid with time!" The two bears eyed each other suspiciously, delirious of the other's intentions. Olive then added, "We will manage. You know we will."

"How sensitive of you," Cupcake put in. The pink bear turned from her cousin to Vesta. "Olive is a tough cookie sometimes." Her tongue was lingering unexpectedly and she was uncertain whether she should continue or not. Then, she said, "Thank you for that offer, Vesta. I _too_ believe that the three of us can manage." This statement gently surprised Cheri and Olive.

Vesta smiled.

A chorus of crickets sang irritably throughout Veltron. At 10:00 PM, Cheri, Olive and Cupcake returned home to the relentless noises, most of which emulated the cries of children. Immediately Cupcake made a break for the bedroom, casually spitting "goodnight" as she walked. Cheri and Olive entered the kitchen, from which a rich fragrance was floating about, likely whipped cream, and they sat down at the table.

"Well, well," Olive pondered aloud. "I can't remember the last time Cupcake's been so up in arms about anything. Her temper can quickly change based on what's going on, right? One minute she's all over the place, running to and fro and excited about her outfit, and the next she's depressed because of our lacking funds. I wish she would take more responsibility instead of always wanting to depend on others."

Cheri shrugged aimlessly. "Who knows. I'm still wondering how long her mum has had that outfit. It must have cost a millennium."

"..._Cost a millennium?_ Well, all right." Olive was speechless, bewildered by her cousin's notoriously bizarre metaphor. "I'm turning in too. Goodnight."

Cheri remained at the kitchen table, somewhat embarrassed by her unorthodox twist on words. Because she was not entirely exhausted, she went into the living room and sat in the plush armchair, resting her sore muscles on the relaxing cushions. Suddenly, noticing the letters on the coffee table—moved there by Olive before they went to Vesta's—Cheri became motivated to retrieve a piece of stationery and a pen to write a letter home.

Strangely, the red bear was unsure what to write in the letter. Uninterested by the thin blue lines that ran across the stationery, she quickly abandoned the attempt, and walked into the hallway, taking a burgundy hockey stick out of the closet. Cheri decided that she was going to practice some shots on the hills near their house before turning in that evening.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: I think this is a good chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Violet Meadows

**COUSINS  
Chapter 5: Violet Meadows**

* * *

The springtime weather began fading by May 12th, on which the temperature reached 24°C. By this point, the cousins had settled in to Veltron and were becoming more acquainted with its commercial strip and pleasant beach. Occasionally Vesta visited them, bearing sweets and accessories for their garden, such as flamingos and gnomes. Penny baked for them often, and T-Bone loaned them how-to books on maintaining an actively healthy lifestyle, from which he acquired his muscular shape, as he had claimed.

The weather was again agreeable on May 13th: the sun shone intensely, casting short shadows over the sprouting trees growing along the riverbank and drowning the roses and tulips in the heat—the temperature had peaked at 22° by 10:30 AM. The fragrance of freshly cut grass entered the house of the cousins as Cheri, the first to wake that morning, opened the kitchen window, also bringing with it a soft wind. Coffee was brewing and Olive was preparing BLT sandwiches, a favourite of theirs at the expense of the high-priced food products. The radio was on, blasting classical music.

"Good morning, what's that racket for so early in the morning?" Dressed in a robe that blended with her rose fur, Cupcake walked into the kitchen with a broken picture frame in her hand. After placing it in the garbage bin, she took a seat at the table, demanding something to eat. Olive hushed her, stating that she was making BLTs which were nearly ready. Cupcake seemed grumpier than usual for most mornings, and she sighed irritably and stood, returning to her room without an explanation.

"Is she okay?" Cheri asked coolly. "It's bizarre to see her all up in arms in less than three sentences."

Olive eyed Cheri uneasily, tilting her head back and forth in imitation of her cousin, but to a lesser degree than what she had wanted.

"Um, sorry..." Cheri lowered her voice briefly, turning away. A moment later, she muttered an unclear phrase and faced her cousin again. "By the way, I don't know how I forgot, but a letter came from Penny this morning. She wants to take all of us to Violet Meadows today, one of the most beautiful 'scenic locations' in Veltron. It's covered with violets that dance with the spring breezes. It sounds great, doesn't it?" The bear trotted over to the table and lifted the letter from a pile of lined stationery. "Um... at around noon she's going to pick us up."

After seasoning the BLTs and placing them on the table, Olive nodded slowly at Cheri, who was still standing with the letter at the table. Cheri expected her cousin to say something, but she did not, instead returning to the counter and retrieving glasses from the cupboard.

"Are you going, Olive?"

"Of course, it's not like I have many other things to do," Olive responded caringly as she situated three tall glasses on the table. "We need to be back before 8:00 though. T-Bone invited us to his place for dinner and he's cooking stew, something I've been craving for a few days now. Also, I think he'd said something about chocolate cake for desert." The bear gazed into oblivion in an attempt to recall his exact words.

Cheri nodded understandingly. "Yes, I didn't forget, and oh, it's actually a mint-chocolate cake. He didn't tell me why though."

Fifteen minutes later, Cupcake reentered the kitchen, wearing an Argyle Knit, one of the only Tom Nook-designed outfits she liked other than the Bubble Shirt. Her hair was brushed strikingly, revealing white pigments beneath the strands that somehow blended well with the tone of her fur. The apparel was different, if somewhat unique, almost reflecting on the fading winter, yet yearning for it to stay at the same time. Neither of her cousins commented on the outfit, and instead, a stony silence filled the kitchen. The silence was so complete that a faint splash was heard in the distance, likely from the ocean or someplace. Cupcake resumed her seat at the table and looked out the window, admiring the sun above. The summer was fast-approaching, which she was anticipating because it was her favourite season of the year—additionally, the radio had reported that it was going to be one of the hottest summers on record.

"We have a little time before Penny arrives," Olive finally said, mustering her words unfashionably if to suggest disappointment in having plans for the day, but she was not questioned. "I'm thinking of putting on that... nice summer outfit with the orange chest and the red stripe through the middle." She paused gallingly. "...I don't know what it's called."

Cupcake stuck her fist in the air without purpose. "That's the Hippie Shirt!"

---

At quarter to noon, Olive left the house for T-Bone's. She was going to inform him about their day-trip to Violet Meadows and the possibility of them being late that evening. Cheri and Cupcake did not know what they wanted to wear, but both agreed on lower-class outfits so that they did not become filthy. Cheri chose the Spiderweb Shirt because it almost entirely clashed with her fur, while Cupcake picked out the Gray Tartan, a "dry clean only" Gracie design she had owned for several years and seldom wore anymore.

Penny arrived ten minutes later and Olive had yet to return. The mouse cheerfully greeted her neighbours and pulled tiny colourful envelopes from her purse, giving one each to the corresponding bears. She said, "I guess you could say I never even properly introduced myself by bringing housewarming gifts. Well, no, I properly introduced myself, but that was it." Inside the envelopes were not cards or stationery, but instead giant white books, at first which confused the bears. Penny told them to open them, revealing that they were not books, but photo albums, suddenly enlightening both of them significantly. Cheri cried "thank you!" and gave the mouse a big hug.

After another fifteen minutes—it was 12:15—the girls figured that Olive had become caught up with T-Bone in an activity or event of some sort, and they went to his house to fetch her. However, when they got there, there was a sign on the door that read: _Out with friends_._ If you need me, contact me by priority mail_. Penny assumed that the two of them had already gone ahead because T-Bone knew Violet Meadows like the inside of his chimney, or at least according to her anyway.

Violet Meadows was located fifteen minutes from T-Bone's house. It was not a colossus on the main land, however, but a somewhat slanted valley connected to the base of Mount Veltron, which was another half hour from the meadows. The decaying trees that inhabited the meadows appeared harshly from the long winter, with few leaves, if any, growing on some of them. The land was fairly large, covering as far as the animals could see and perhaps further. Violets expectantly populated the field, but the vast majority had yet to sprout because it was only mid-May.

"Oh my goodness! This place... is as beautiful as—!" Cheri began, but her voice drowned out at the suddenness of an awkward high-pitched gasp.

"Don't tell me you actually like this never-ending meadow," came a low female voice. "It's disturbingly big with almost no sign of life, save for the violets, which grow in my garden anyway because of the wonderful luxuries I can afford. Coming here has no meaning unless you need a break from work or something dreadful." A midnight-furred kangaroo appeared at the edge of one of the nearby tiny hills, her mahogany-patterned blouse complementing her haircut and physique. Cupcake's eyes widened at her appearance.

Penny turned away at the sight of the kangaroo, her cheeks flushed as red as salsa, equaling its relative temperature too. The cousins did not see this, however, perhaps because they had yet to meet the kangaroo, who marched over to them nobly, placing emphasis on her body shape, which was evident by her peculiar walk. After immobilizing herself in front of them, she extended a hand toward Cupcake, who unexpectedly shivered at its appearance as if it was the mouth of a shark. She took it in her hand and shook it quickly.

"I am pleased to meet you," the kangaroo said plainly. "My name is Mathilda. I am the fashion guru of Veltron."

Cupcake coughed with intense exaggeration and she lowered herself slightly in response to Mathilda's so-called title. Everybody turned to look at her, during which she hastily stood again and nodded uncomprehendingly at Mathilda, to whom she held out her hand and introduced herself. Cheri did the same more traditionally and summarized their recent move to Veltron, to which the kangaroo listened, but it was uncertain whether she had actually retained the information or not. Penny still did not look at her.

"You'll come to like me quite a lot," Mathilda predicted dumbly as she placed her hands on her hips. "Then again, I can't remember one animal who didn't like me because, after all, I'd get through to them as fast as I'd allow myself. That's fast." She relentlessly ranted for some minutes willfully, though at this point Cupcake had intentionally tuned her out, focused on her surroundings. Cheri tried to keep interest, but Penny's unusual aura about Mathilda earned their full attention and the mouse did whatever she could to try looking kosher with her presence. It failed miserably to their silent amusement.

"...The first time I went to the festival, I was changed. Apparently it was very different before I'd moved to Veltron, though I'm sure only someone like Penny can attest to that—but she's here, how did I not notice her before? Penny, my dear! You are friends with these newcomers of Veltron?" Mathilda's voice rose after her discovery and she eyed the mouse uneasily.

Penny turned toward Mathilda gradually, assumed she was looking at her, and sighed timidly. She said, "I've lived here since the town's conscription, which was ten years ago. You, Mathilda, have lived here for four years. That festival has been held in Veltron since conscription, created from the Mayor's desires. I'm glad to see you've noticed me with the cousins. They recently moved here from the capital city, you know." Her voice was hollow and resembled a spooky sound in the darkness. Her eyes emulated that of a monster's.

A mere pause separated Mathilda's response. "_I know?_ I certainly didn't know that, at least not until now. Ah, the city... way too busybody-like for me." She stretched her arms, letting them frail about momentarily before resuming her gaze on Cheri, Cupcake, and Penny. In her mind she knew that the cousins were unlikely to fit in with the mold for an undetermined lengthy period of time because of their lifelong non-association with suburban lifestyles. Although acknowledging this, she did not want to assume that they were total losses, based on the purpose of befriending them for the sake of her renowned social status, as well possibly inviting them to her annual Mode Tropè get-together, which was upcoming.

"Anyway," Penny interjected. "The girls and I were going to Violet Meadows for what's left of the afternoon. We'll see you, Mathilda."

Mathilda sniffed restlessly. "Anyway indeed. I'll see you later then! ...By the way, _cousins_, I'd suggest better outfits—at your current rate you're doomed if you plan on settling in Veltron. Even that Gracie one—that "dry clean only" get-up—is no longer a hot product. Lose it." Before anybody had time to respond to the kangaroo's sudden if pushy comments, she departed hurriedly, leaving only the drumming of footprints.

An indescribably awkward stretch of silence occupied the surrounding ambiance, uncomfortable like lying bare on cold floor. Cheri was the first to mutter, barely audible, and combined with no sense of thought. Finally, Penny faced the cousins and laughed improbably. This was followed by a short series of indistinguishable syllables that amused and lightened the seriousness.

"Let's just proceed," Cupcake demanded. "We'll... figure on _that_ later", her emphasis on Mathilda as thick as wood.

"I didn't know that you've lived here for so long, Penny," Cheri said, changing the topic nonchalantly. "What was Veltron like for all these years? Did you move in the day it opened to the public? Wow, ten years ago... I don't even remember what we were doing a decade ago, do you, Cupcake?" She looked to her cousin, who responded by shaking her head.

Penny nodded unenthusiastically. "I moved in on the day the train station opened to the public. I was the very first resident, as a matter of fact." Her voice was drab, almost broken. "I've been living in the same house for ten years now and all aspects of my life have become a lot better compared to what it used to be like... well, _somewhat_. I swear though, if anything happens and I was forced to leave Veltron, I don't know what I'd do. Financially I've never been treated well." The dullness in her voice diminished upon the end of her summary and her focus returned to the path in front of them, on which the three of them had resumed walking.

"I see," Cheri and Cupcake said in unison.

The path began breaking off as the population in the violets maximized, only some patches of grass lacking the purple plant. Rows of trees appeared from the distance and faded into smaller groups as the seemingly endless fields spiraled upward at the entrance of Mount Veltron, where the path ended, rockier terrain beginning its long trek to the peak. A small river made its way through Violet Meadows, the water coming from a higher ledge on the mountain that was not in current view. The river emptied into the ocean below though a tiny waterway.

"Oh wow, Violet Meadows is gorgeous," cooed Cheri again, this time with the addition of the river and various watch spots, some which offered a very clear view of the town, and others escalating in elevation. "It's a really nice place to have a picnic. Why didn't we think of packing some food? Now that I think of it, we ate _brunch _and dinner isn't for hours. I should've thought of having a picnic earlier!"

Applause came from Penny. "That is why I am here! I think ahead!" The mouse stopped walking, dug into her purse and pulled out several wrapped trays of food: included were pizza rolls, rice balls and several fruits, watermelon being the most prominent. They thanked Penny for preparing a meal and wondered if a blanket was able to fit in her purse too. Penny continued, "I didn't pack anything to drink because I was afraid that it'd spill in my purse. My friend Dizzy will bring some basins of fruit drinks and soda—I'm a health freak, but still, you _need_ to have some soda—in a little while. I told him to meet us near the river around 1:30, so until then we should just enjoy this place. I really like it and I hope the two of you do too... by the way, where's Olive?" Her attention turned to the meadow.

A silhouette of T-Bone spread over most of the grass beside the river. Olive was on the other side, her clothes soaked, and she was trying to catch a butterfly that kept escaping from her grasp. She gasped every few moments, also panting to release her exhaustion. Her hair stretched at lengths unusual even for her, appearing less dense than it had earlier that morning.

"Good afternoon!" Penny exclaimed, nearing the two before Olive's cousins. "I see you decided to get a head start." She chuckled.

Olive shrugged lazily. "T-Bone asked if he could come and I figured, 'why not?' That way we won't have to worry about time issues later in the evening. This is definitely a nice place to be when you want to relax. I like it a lot! Thanks so much for inviting us here today, Penny." The grey bear smiled, but Penny could not see this because of the distance still between them.

Cupcake and Penny arrived next to T-Bone seconds later. As they turned their backs, they noticed Cheri had disappeared over one of the smaller hills, incessantly twisting her head one direction to the next. Her cousins noted her curious nature: though rarely exhibited, there were times when she was unable to control her interests, making decisions based on how she felt about what she was looking at or what she wanted or was going to do.

Violet Meadows was vast, almost expanding to unreachable destinations, such as the point of Mount Veltron, which was never climbed because the temperature at its peak was approximately -12°C on a warm day. Cheri stood at the river's end in Violet Meadows which abruptly changed into a small waterfall that entered a smaller waterway some metres below. As she breathed in the fresh fragrance of violets, her senses tickled and she found herself hysterically laughing at the feeling in her nose, which seemed as though dandellions were dancing on her nostrils. A moment later, the red bear decided to cross the river, leaping successfully over it without touching the water.

---

Dizzy was a moderately-sized elephant and his figure was unbalanced, but he explained that his diet was atypical, consisting of avocados, carrots, and potatoes, but at the same time vanilla-frosted cupcakes. His ears and eyes were very large, and his outfit, according to Cupcake, "wreaked of last decade's fashion lows". Olive did not like the comment, the disapproval in her eyes as she looked at her cousin.

"I welcome the two of you to Veltron!" Dizzy was greeting Olive and Cupcake—Cheri had yet to return to the group. "I hope you like this village. Violet Meadows is probably the most famous thing we've got here, well, other than the dock since it's so big. Please don't leave anytime soon though. Many animals have a stupid habit of doing that before really getting to know Veltron. I've been living here for a couple years now."

"We won't be moving anytime soon," said Olive reassuringly. "We've got an outrageous loan to pay. Our friend helped us with some of it, but it's still up there in the numbers. We promise we'll be staying here for a while." Cupcake nodded in agreement.

Dizzy brought a picnic blanket which Penny had surprisingly lacked. It was big enough to sit more than ten animals, therefore allowing them to place the trays of food, as well as the basins and some cookies Dizzy had baked, on the remainder of it. Cheri was absent from the group when they began eating, and although Penny suggested looking for her, Cupcake said that she would easily forgive them, also using the meadow's size as an excuse to her cousin's unknown location. The others silently put their food on plastic plates Dizzy had also supplied.

Cupcake discussed her family life in the capital city with the others for a little while before Olive detailed hers. Their high school had been one of many suicides, two of whom were close friends with all three cousins. Most of their experiences came at the cost of either somebody's life or status, but they generally made it through the situations without much grieving. They also mentioned that Cheri was nominated for Prom Queen, her loss attributed to a sneaky (and somewhat clichéd) miscount of the votes. Apparently she did not mind though.

"So... if you could describe your life in one word, what would it be?" Dizzy asked fascinatingly.

Silence, but on a thinking level. Olive gazed lovingly at her surroundings and turned to look the elephant in the eyes, coyly sighing. She answered, "Drama. Drama is the best word, without a doubt." Her eyes shifted to Cupcake, who was chewing on a rice ball. "I'm sure Cupcake agrees with me." The pink bear showed no signs of agreement or disagreement.

It was Dizzy's turn to chronicle his life to Olive and Cupcake. He had been working at the Able Sisters design shop for several years, during which he had gained an "impeccable" taste for fashion. Although he refused to tell them from what city he had moved, he spoke about his childhood and adolescence, strengthening what could have been considered loose ends and odd bits. He even commented on his large ears, but noted the accuracy of sounds that it earned him.

"Actually," the elephant continued, "what some animals don't know is that I was a decent artist at one point."

Olive's eyebrows rose with interest, but she did not say anything.

About fifteen minutes later, Cheri appeared, walking leisurely along the riverside, humming an assortment of 1940s jazz songs at once. Initially she failed to see her cousins and friends eating on the picnic blanket in front of her, but her eyes retraced their trajectory, and displayed disappointment entwined with moderate frustration. At the sight of the rice balls, she took a leaping start approximately ten metres from the river and jumped over it, again successfully, but this time landing on a fellow villager, Dizzy, who she had yet to meet. His laughter ridiculed them after Cheri apologized and found her own seat on the blanket.

"Remember this well, please: when there are rice balls, you _tell_ Cheri so that she can _eat_ them!" The red bear referred to herself in third-person for the sake of emphasis on her character and statement altogether. Cupcake made several hand gestures that nobody but the cousins understood, which motivated Cheri to ramble a bit longer because of the meanings and "messages", as she called them. "Anyway, pass the rice balls! Please!" Her plate comprised of slightly less food than the others because of her nonattendance.

The food was strongly complimented by the animals, all using descriptive words to illustrate visuals for it. "Amazing, excellent, fantastic, superb, wicked, and yummy!" Penny had finally memorized the list after many attempts, thanking all her friends also and explaining her desire to hold more picnics in the area because of the unquestionable beauty that was Violet Meadows. The group concurred and T-Bone asked if they could have another one sometime during the summer, to which Penny nodded heedlessly.

---

After the picnic, the animals broke off into smaller groups: Cheri and Dizzy, becoming fast friends, began conversing as they resumed what had been Cheri's lone walk, while Cupcake, Olive and T-Bone made their way to the waterfall where Cheri was earlier. Penny, demanding that she would clean up, remained on the blanket, tying some bags together to throw in the local garbage bins upon return to Veltron.

"That_ is_ such an incredible view!" commented Olive as she looked out at the beach, swarmed with residents of Veltron. "It's neat to be capable of watching the village's animals in their daily lives as we just stand aloof, you know? This place is so nice that we might as well just build a cottage here to get away to when we want." Her voice rose at that thought.

Cupcake sat down at the edge of the cliff, which whistled a funky sound. She placed her hand in the running water and let the cool sensation send chills up her spine. "Yeah," she said unexpectedly, even to herself. "I'd really like to come here more often." Beneath her, the cliff shook as though she had gotten on a rollercoaster that was starting up.

"I've been here a lot," T-Bone said. "Each time this seems brand new." He waved a hand in front of him, heated by the sun's rays. The temperature was still rather high for that time of day in mid-May (20°). The sun shone like a massive spotlight on the meadows.

Suddenly, a small portion of the cliff that Cupcake was sitting on began making noises. The awkwardness alerted her, but her movement was not fast enough, and she found herself soaring downward next to the roaring waterfall. Screams echoed in the area, sending piercing vibrations elsewhere over miles. Olive screamed equally loudly, mortified at what was happening. She wondered at that pivotal moment where Cheri was and what she was doing.

"_Cupcake!_ Oh my gosh!" T-Bone gasped.

Olive was petrified. Was her cousin really falling into the flowing river below them?

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: I love the dramatics in this story and I hope you do too. Will Cupcake be all right? You will soon find out!


	6. Shopping Madness

**COUSINS  
Chapter 6: Shopping Madness**

* * *

Cupcake landed in the river—she cursed at the fact that her outfit was "dry clean only", but her cousins and friends were relieved that she was not hurt. The animals remained in Violet Meadows until 7:00 PM that evening, after which they walked to T-Bone's house for dinner underneath an ever-increasing cloudy sky, and it began raining a few hours later. The animals returned home after thunder sounded threateningly in the distance, thanking T-Bone for his hospitality before they left.

Mail from Tom Nook's had arrived earlier than usual the following morning. It was a leaflet from the shop detailing an upcoming sale to be held on May 22nd, which was considered one of Veltron's independent holidays: Spring Shopping, voted as such by its residents five years beforehand. Cupcake's eyes glittered when she read the advertisement and she started working additional hours for more money. Her cousins knew it was inevitable that all of it would be spent on the day of the sale.

May 22nd was a depressing day. It was raining heavily and most umbrellas were not capable of withstanding the torrential winds blowing throughout the region, according to the forecast on the radio. It was 7:45 AM and the cousins were drinking coffee in the living room, listening to the seven-day weather report. Cupcake had almost fallen asleep in the armchair because it was very irregular for her to wake before 9:00 AM. Cheri and Olive were also tired.

"These days always bring me down," Olive commented after a stretch of silence as she uncurled a strand of hair from behind her ear. "Do you think it's going to continue raining? Cupcake doesn't seem motivated enough to get off that chair." Her gaze fell on her pink cousin, who was blatantly ignoring her by bringing her shoulders to her ears and rubbing them austerely. Olive shook her head and said, "Maybe Nook won't even have that lamp you want." Her tone was unenthusiastic.

Cupcake's attention was absorbed into her cousin's convincing language. "What are you saying?" she inquired forcefully. "I've been working overtime to earn enough cash for this day! You should have seen me designing, modelling, stitching, and wearing myself out in that nightmare of a shop for the last few days! I am not staying home. When that place opens at 8:30, we're going to be the first ones in line. Believe and _trust _me."

Cheri laughed. "Yes, we'll do that. There's no need to oppose this girl's fury. I'll get changed now." The red bear rose from the couch and entered her bedroom, mimicking Cupcake enthrallingly as she walked.

"What made you think that I wasn't going to burst through Tom Nook's doors this morning?" Cupcake asked Olive after Cheri had exited the living room. She readjusted her position before standing and sitting next to Olive on the couch. "You and I have known each other all our lives and you honestly believe that I'm just going to skip out on this opportunity? Where has your faith gone?"

"Don't worry yourself," Olive responded defensively as she set her mug on the coffee table. "You'll buy so much that we'll need another house." She followed her witty tease with a smile, revealing all her teeth. Cupcake nodded gawkily, but reassured her that a second house would be unnecessary.

---

Olive had chosen not to join her cousins at the sale for unconfirmed reasons. Cheri and Cupcake detailed their disappointment and how she would not be able to purchase several low-priced merchandise, but Olive had already made up her mind. At 8:20, Cheri and Cupcake left the house and quickly hurried their way through the blustery town to Tom Nook's. As they had predicted, they were the first ones there, accompanied only by the rain.

"At least we know that we'll get in," Cupcake commented apprehensively. "Do you think Nook will give us some sort of traditional Veltron balloon for participating in this sale? Vesta told us something like that yesterday after the movie." Her voice continued rising, but Cheri shook her head and brushed her cousin's anxiousness aside.

The two bears stormed into Nook's when the doors opened at 8:30 AM. The store was beautifully-decorated and posters reading _Limited stocks must go!_ covered the walls. There was generally Gracie-brand clothing resting on hangers spread out across the first floor, while some Nook-styled outfits hung with other merchandise, including stationery. More than ten furniture series, sets and themes also occupied the first floor, surprising Cheri and Cupcake because the floor did not seem as though it could carry that many items.

"Cupcake! Run upstairs while I check out this area!" Cheri howled, pointing in the direction of a gigantic refrigerator.

Despite accurately following her cousin's directions, Cupcake had not heard a word Cheri had said and she was already on the second floor, where a handful of merchandise had been assembled. "That modern lamp must be around here somewhere... let's see, there was that very fashionable figurine here a few days ago, but would Nook still have it? ...Oh no, the _other_ animals!"

As numerous footsteps began entering the store, Cupcake made a break for a set of checkered-coloured end tables. Although the modern items she wanted to buy were similarly styled, they were not on the end tables and she quickly headed down an aisle of unmistakable Gracie-only fashions. However, Cupcake owned countless Gracie clothing and she decided that she was only going to look for the modern lamp that day.

"If I can't find it, maybe I could get that pothos from yesterday," Cupcake speculated aloud, brushing her hands against the outfits. "Interior designing has become so popular in this country. There's also that painting Fauna magazine recommended last month, but it's almost impossible to find at this place. Nook needs better stocks, for sure." As she power-walked down the aisle, a plethora of colourful animals appeared behind her, gripping their wallets firmly.

Taking a left, Cupcake came across two large plants, both shimmering in the decorative confetti. She eyed them closely before suddenly jumping at the realization that one of them was a pothos, an elm-like tree that she had been wanting to plant in the garden since moving to Veltron. Sticking her fist in the air, she bellowed, "yes!" and picked it up speedily.

"At least I have this baby," Cupcake commented. "Now a shopping cart would be useful..."

Cupcake was horrified to discover that she did not want to buy anything else. She had exuded an impatient sigh and began descending the stairs to the first floor—more than thirty animals were in the room, most of whom were fighting for various low-priced items, including batteries, flower seeds, paint, stationery, and summer accessories. Cheri was fighting for an umbrella with a penguin that neither of them had met, provoking intimidation and patent nonsense at each other.

"Cheri! Pry that umbrella off that penguin!" Cupcake encouraged her still-struggling relative. "Come on, I know you can do it!"

A moment later, Cheri let go of the umbrella out of tediousness and the penguin fell on the floor, panting heavily. Cupcake moved toward her cousin and gave her an avaricious smirk, one that Cheri, who said, "You have no idea how tough he was", would soon not forget.

As the penguin ran down a different aisle, the two cousins stood there mystified. They both agreed that the sales Nook planned were not extravagant and seemed to be very watered-down into something rather undetailing and unexciting. The main floor had already transformed into a pig pen—they joked about how Nook was going to complain when it came time to tidying the store, one of his overly bad habits.

"Why don't we go up to the next floor?" Cheri interrogated Cupcake, pointing to the stairs.

"I just came from there though. Believe me, there's nothing interesting but some designer gowns I already own."

Nonetheless, Cheri walked up to the second floor, finding a mob of animals standing in choppy queue lines, waiting for various clothing and furniture. Most of the males were crowded around a humongous television set that cost about 500,000 Bells, though it seemed that some of them were unaware of the price, sending vicious reminders of poor-paying jobs at each other. The females were running up and down the aisles of designer outfits—however, strangely the majority were being reshelved despite their inexpensiveness.

"Oh wow!" exclaimed Cheri, astounded by the collection of items Nook had for sale. "There's a Rose Shirt over there... um..." She fell silent.

Cupcake stood next to her cousin. "Like I'd said, who has the time to bother with something as frantic as this? I don't think I'd want to get caught up in this kind of shopping madness again. For one, even animals from other towns came in to get a hold of the products, and two, this reminds me of the _Fortune Field_ sale held back at home last year. I swear I landed on my face twice that day."

A sigh came from Cheri. "Don't tell me that means we're already leaving. This place is almost as bare as winter trees and it's only been about nine minutes. I can't believe that!" She sighed again. "Well... I guess this sort of stuff happens at a sale with prices like none other in the country. So... come to Veltron! I should be a saleswoman, shouldn't I?" she concluded as she faced Cupcake, who gently nodded before chuckling somewhat.

A lemonade stand had been erected at the far right-end side of the second floor, where the girls headed and bought a drink each. As they sipped from their styrofoam cups, they watched the ruckus of the sale begin to clear by 9:00 AM and the customers make their way to the lower level, exiting at the digression of Nook. The lemonade stand closed at 9:10.

The first floor was virtually unoccupied by the time Cheri and Cupcake had finished their drinks. Only an employee of Nook's and the raccoon himself were dusting off some countertops and other surfaces. Upon noticing them, however, Nook's expression mellowed and he approached them gleefully, holding his head high.

"Well, well, well!" he began avidly, "I see that the town's new and improved famous trio—or duo as it is today—decided to shop at one of my fantastic sales! I do not understand any of your intentions though. Why would you decide to shop when you are clearly in a state of debt and have to pay off what seems like a fortune? About 150 000 Bells remains, my dears." He flashed a toothy smile, emphasis apparent on his workplace status.

Cupcake glared deeply at the raccoon. "You are nothing short of stupid!" she snapped. "Honestly, you love bickering at us and it's one of the most transparent things you've done since the day we arrived in Veltron. Can't you just leave us alone?"

Cheri marched over to a red tulip bag lying on the floor. It was very dirty, but she picked it up anyway and inspected it closely. "Cupcake, don't bother trying to convince him to change—you should know that when somebody's overly stupid, it sticks like honey, impossible to leave them. Ignore him and let's get out of here."

"No," Nook said from behind them. "You will not exit my store with that in your hand, Cheri. You will either pay for it or put it down this instant. Do you even have enough money to pay for it? You have probably blown all of it on the other stuff you already bought."

Sighs emerged from the cousins and they began speaking concurrently, twisting phrases and words that Nook was unable to make out. They finally looked at each other, breaking into a short laughter before replacing their attention on the raccoon. Cupcake, being the suspicious animal she was, inspected his business outfit twice over and contemplated a thought quickly. She said without acknowledgement, "You're lucky that you even got into a business like this! An overweight raccoon doesn't usually make it big on his own with a body like that. Now my cousin and I are going to do you the favour of getting out of your face... good riddance!"

Cheri blinked. She did not know what to say and merely giggled.

With a frown on his face, Nook responded, "This is very sickening! Now no more insults from either of you!", causing the two bears to jump nervously. "Do you think it is okay to walk into this establishment and make fun of the owner? Leave immediately! Out!" He pointed in the direction of the door and ranted on about their ignorance, which the girls chose to ignore.

"I'm surprised that he stood his ground," Cheri commented as they stepped into the still-rainy environment. "At the same time... you know, never mind."

Cupcake laughed bitterly.

Although the rain had started to ease, it was questionably difficult to perceive most of their surroundings, making the journey home rather lengthy. They had opened their umbrellas, spinning them for the sake of creating amusement, amidst attempting to prolong a conversation. There were few topics that either bear had wanted to touch upon though since Olive was not with them. They reluctantly noted how Olive had become acquainted with more animals in Veltron than she had known for her entire life in their hometown, where she had been a loner.

Mother's Day was upcoming and Cheri and Cupcake joked about the presents that they were going to send their mothers, both of which were somewhat clueless about modern trends. Because neither was keen on mailing money, they had figured that a dozen white roses would best-suit the occasion. Cupcake especially speculated whether or not Olive would agree with their idea.

"Since when is it foggy during rainstorms...?" A voice transpired from in front of the cousins, who were taken back by the suddenness.

Mathilda, the black kangaroo the cousins had met in Violet Meadows, was standing near one of the town ledges. Binoculars were hanging around her neck, though neither bear had the courage to ask her why she had them in her possession. An umbrella in the shape of a hat hovered above her head.

"Good morning, Mathilda," the bears greeted her placidly.

The kangaroo mused at the sound of her name, turning to see Cheri and Cupcake. She grinned bafflingly and responded, "Why hello! Oh, you're the animals that dress like loose prisoners. Yes, yes, I would assume that you just came from the sale? I swear that this is the most gorgeous gown I've bought in my entire life!" She modelled the Gracie-brand Watermelon Shirt she had purchased.

"Yes, quite, quite." Cupcake brushed aside the kangaroo's spicy attitude. "However, I've owned that one for years."

Mathilda snorted. "Well, as a matter of fact I hadn't had an interest in this outfit until just recently because of some very convincing gossip. Of course, you wouldn't know or even need to for particular reasons. I've got every other Gracie gown, minus the Zebra Shirt, which I'll be getting as soon as possible." She waved her hands aimlessly at the bears.

Cheri and Cupcake had stopped paying attention to Mathilda and were already continuing on their trek home. They had chosen to walk around Veltron in the rain for a little longer to "soak up the atmosphere", as Cupcake had referred to it so specifically. Looking shy-like, Cheri examined the items that they had purchased from Nook's and concluded that she was not going to attend another sale because she had been let down with the selection and experience itself. Her cousin shrugged, unwillingly to respond with agreement yet with disbelief.

After another five minutes, the two relatives arrived home. There was no response to the constant knocks on the door, forcing Cupcake to withdraw her house key from her wallet, which she was not happy about. Olive's shoes were not on the entry mat—she had gone out.

"I wonder where she went today?" Cheri wondered aloud as she placed her umbrella on the floor to dry.

Cupcake yawned. "It's still early in the morning. She's probably gone to Vesta's or someone else's. Don't worry, we're not going to lose sleep over it."

The two bears went into the kitchen, which appeared gloomy from the front door because of the weather, and they sat down at the table lazily. "I suppose you're right," Cheri said. "Anyway, I think I am going to try one of those fruit juice mixtures that some of the townsfolk have been babbling about lately. Do you want to try some?" The bear stood and walked to the counter, not allowing Cupcake the opportunity to answer. "We will suffer together if it doesn't taste that great."

"Oh, fine," Cupcake responded. After preparing the smoothie-like beverage, Cupcake took a deep breath and sucked down the delicacy.

Her reception consisted of a gargled screech, which swayed Cheri not to drink it.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: I apologize if this was a boring chapter for you. I had one heck of a time writing it... I guess sales and such just aren't my kind of thing when it comes to putting it down on paper, or in this case, the computer. Either way, please R&R and I'll update as soon as possible!


	7. June

**COUSINS  
Chapter 7: June**

* * *

An entire month had passed since Cheri, Olive and Cupcake had moved to Veltron, and coping with the environment was still difficult. They knew they would eventually adapt to it, but for the time being it was somewhat vexing. The bitterness of the winter was no longer present during the evening hours, and with each day, the summer blue jays and mosquitoes began returning to the village, settling on their favourite tree branches. The long-term forecast suggested that it was going to be a very hot summer in Veltron.

The brilliant radiance of life shone through vibrantly during the last few days of May. Although the villagers was looking forward to the summer months, June regularly comprised of daily rainstorms, with which the cousins were surprised because Veltron was isolated in a forest along the mountain range. The region would be in the middle of a series of tremulous showers—sometimes thunderstorms—and cloudy weather.

Cheri stood in the kitchen reading a letter from the town government. She had read most of the mail the cousins received that morning, but became overly shocked when she learned that the household's bills had arrived. The price was ghastly and initially she contemplated paying all of them off by herself, swiftly discarding the consideration after thinking about how her cousins would respond. It was somewhat dishonest too. After scanning through a few other bills, she chose to ignore the expenses and cook breakfast for her cousins.

"We've received our first set of bills?" Cupcake unexpectedly sat down at the kitchen table and saw a number of colourful papers resting on the counter next to the sink. A look of disbelief crossed her already-fatigued face and she grunted impassively. "I didn't think so much money could be spent in a single month!" Her tone darkened.

Cheri sighed. "What are you talking about? You haven't even seen the price yet. What sucks most is that you've been working like a chicken with its head cut off and still we're not making much progress. You're really supporting us, Cupcake, whereas I can't commit to a job, and Olive's still searching unsuccessfully." She set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her pink-furred cousin. "Now eat up! The day's not worth living if you don't have strength."

A short silence—disrupted only by a flock of robins on a nearby tree branch—followed and Cupcake shook her head. "Don't be stupid," she said. "It doesn't matter whether you work or not. You're still a member of this family and you'll find someplace to stick to with some time. Hey, perhaps you could start a sailing club. Wouldn't that be fun? You could professionally teach and that would bring in income."

"I don't sail professionally, though," Cheri retorted contemptuously. "It was nice of you to suggest, but I'm not really made for anything like that. Oh, here's a question for you now, Cupcake: why have you been so polite lately? I've heard rumours that you carried Lady Cleo's groceries for her recently. How sweet."

Cupcake rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I did... because she offered 3000 Bells! So I figured it was the right thing to do."

Cheri's expression turned sour. "Well, perhaps you'll always be a witch—that's fine with me. Oh, by the way, since we're on the topic of money, I guess it'd only be fair if I told you how much we owe the government. After including Nook's raffle tickets and cancelling taxes, which we've yet to pay, the total comes to 78 000 Bells. Not exactly a walk in the park, is it?"

"No, not at all. But we'll do what we can."

Five minutes passed before Olive entered the kitchen, her hair tied back, but messy. She enthusiastically greeted her cousins and wished them a "fantastic day". After yawning uncontrollably, the grey bear moaned, "Now that it's finally June, I think we should get around to taking care of some very important chores. I'd wanted to help Vesta remodel her house, but it turns out she's already hired handymen from the next village over. How about we try paying off the loan?"

Cheri nodded. "I know it's going to be a lot of work. When you think about it though, we're down to something like 120 000 Bells, and the animals have told me that some of them didn't pay the entire darn thing for several years. I don't think we really need to rush. So what do you want for breakfast, Olive? ...Oh, um, actually, I already cooked bacon and eggs. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes," Olive responded.

"These are actually quite delicious. I don't think you've made eggs these tasty in months," commented Cupcake somewhat hoarsely. "But I'd agree if you believed that these were not made by an almighty cuisine chef of the sorts. Still, I am impressed by your culinary skills."

Cheri shrugged. "Thanks, I suppose." The bear began preparing her own breakfast and joined her cousins a few minutes later. The clock's ticking was the only sound echoing throughout the kitchen while they ate mutely. Finally, Cheri broke the silence and said, "The fridge is almost empty. If neither of you mind, I'd like to do some grocery shopping today and visit the neighbours."

Olive swallowed a strip of bacon. "Yeah!" she exclaimed. "Penny wanted to go sailing today and invited me. Because Vesta's busy, she can't go, which is all right. So I'm finally going to be whizzing around on a sailboat, something I've been dying to do since high school. This is definitely going to be an experience to remember! And before either of you ask, yes, it's Vesta's boat, even though she's not coming. Honestly, what doesn't she own?"

That question earned Olive a nasty glare from Cupcake. "A broomstick!" she yelled impulsively. "But you know something that she doesn't own? A wristwatch! If you don't have one, however does one know what the time is when you're going somewhere? There's the Museum and a bunch of other locales in town."

"As a matter of fact, we should go to the bakery sometime," Cheri said. "I've heard that the pastry is really something else. That ostrich who runs the store probably has her ingredients brought over from the capital since it's uncommon to find them around here. Maybe I'll pick some up on the way home."

"A wonderful idea," Olive said as she finished eating her breakfast. "Anyway, I'll be leaving for Penny's house shortly. Before we go sailing, she wants me to listen to her practice piano. Strangely, she doesn't own a piano, so we've got to go over to Lady Cleo's house. Apparently the two of them are really good friends!" She rose from her seat and placed her dishes in the sink.

Cupcake shrugged. "It's too bad they didn't invite me, but it's not like that would have mattered anyway. I'm working in an hour, so an adventure with me wouldn't be that great. It would suddenly end." The pink bear reached for her coffee mug before reluctantly deciding that she had had enough to drink that morning and instead left it on the table. "I'm going to get dressed. Can you deal with my fork and plate, Cheri?" Her tone had grown uninteresting and she stretched her whole body before making her way to the bathroom.

Cheri was left standing in the kitchen with a sink full of cutlery and a messy table. Although she wanted to sigh, she understood that she had done very little for the household since they had arrived in late April. She did not want to maintain that status and decided that she would take care of all the daily chores to relieve her busy cousins. After writing a lengthy list of the items they required from the store, she silently recited it to herself before stepping into her shoes. _I wonder what the day is going to be like_ she wondered.

Her cousins left the house shortly before she did. As she locked the front door, she recited the list to herself again and decided that she was going to shop for the groceries first. Tom Nook's generally carried most of the essential food products one required, and because it was the beginning of a new month, the prices were cheaper than usual, at least according to his advertisement. The walk to the store was met with familiar faces rushing off to work and other places, and beautiful butterflies perched on elm trees. Cheri was happy when Nook's came into view.

"Good morning, beloved customer!" Nook shouted upon Cheri's entry. Although the cousins and Nook did not get along, they attempted to put aside their personal issues while in a business situation. However, it always seemed as though the raccoon was irritated with their presence in his store. Sometimes he felt that he had the right to remove them before they had completed their purchase because of their conversations surrounding him or simply for unexplained reasons. Today was no different.

"Hi, I'll have three beef jerky sticks," Cheri began as she threw back her hair, "and a set of stationery. Add the total together and I'll be back when I finish getting the groceries." Although the bear had not been interested in buying breakfast meals that morning, she knew her cousins well and that they were more than obsessed with cereal bars and pancakes. Sometimes she referred to it as "the never-dying tradition". A few minutes later Cheri returned to the check-out counter with a basket filled with food items, some of which she had picked out entirely for herself.

The counter was covered with groceries: cereal, cereal bars, chicken, eggs, juices, lobster, milk, oatmeal, pancakes, potatoes, rice, roast beef, vegetables, and yogurt. Nook stared courteously at the items and sighed intently, though it was plainly obvious that he was happy about Cheri's purchase. He opened the register and scanned the products several times over to ensure that he had correctly included every item. About five minutes later, the raccoon looked at the red bear and grinned sheepishly.

"Your total comes to something rather marvellous," he pointed out. "Are you certain that you need to serve lobster at your dinner table? It seems like a lot for a family of three. And you are not even mountain bears! It is a bit much, yes, yes, indeed. I wonder when you will be done with that loan you are still swimming in."

An infuriated sigh emitted from Cheri. "How about doing your job instead of bringing up irrelevant topics?"

Nook shook his head. "You _will_ see! Believe me on that. Anyway, the bill comes to 4905 Bells... or do you not have enough cash?"

Still angered with his incompetence, Cheri dug into her purse and pulled out her wallet. "After I get home, I'll be sure to tell the others not to shop here unless it's very, very necessary. Your service is worse than that eagle's was back where I lived. And, oh, _you should know_... it's not good to be compared to him." She placed 5000 Bells on the counter and winked at him decisively. "Keep the change and leave us alone. You're a true pain."

As Cheri exited the store, Nook cried out, "What horrible cousins! I really loathe them."

---

Upon returning home, Cheri noticed that the dishes were still in the sink. She had groaned for forgetting, but still washed them with due speed. After ten minutes, they were neatly stacked in the cupboard next to the window. It was early enough to ask one of the neighbours if they wanted to do something together that day, and Cheri contemplated it for a second before allowing her consciousness to get the best of her. She then gave the room a long scan, occasionally lifting her finger and pointing at what she disliked most. "Now what am I going to do? I'll clean up and mow the lawn. Since I've already gotten the groceries... yeah, that's done. If there's nothing else to do after that, I think I'll call Dizzy or one of the other animals," she said to herself. Her day had been planned out, which she liked.

Five minutes later, there was a knock on the kitchen window. Cheri was in the living room vacuuming and was unable to hear the knock, so the visitor instead walked up to her door and rang the bell. The sound echoed throughout the entire house and the bear quickly stopped the vacuum. She was surprised to hear the doorbell ring and dropped a handkerchief on the coffee table.

"Dizzy! I had been thinking of you a few minutes ago. What brings you here so early? Aren't you usually still waking up at this time?"

The elephant nodded. "Don't worry, it's the beginning of June and symptoms of summer are absolutely everywhere. Believe me, any body of water imaginable is ready to be swam in and the heat of the sun is hotter than it was last August. Last year was a cooler summer, but this one's looking to be a scorcher. The ice cream wagon starts coming around at this time and kites are very populous in the sky. That's why I dug this out." He held up a blue-and-green striped kite, which looked aged at the corners.

Cheri was impressed. "That kite you've got there is quite something. It's awesome! Did you make it yourself?"

"Yes. Three years ago," responded Dizzy. "It should still be in good flying condition and if you're not too busy—it would be unusual if you were—I was hoping that you'd help me try to make this thing become airborne? I haven't had an aerial adventure in a while."

"Fantastic idea! I'm expected to take care of all the chores today. So far I've finished grocery shopping and washing the dishes. After I vacuum the house, which won't take that long, I'll get changed into something a bit more outdoorsy and then we'll have a great time. Just hold for about fifteen minutes, okay?" The bear smiled as she closed the door.

Cheri's outfit did not complement her hairstyle, and she was afraid that the two of them would run into Mathilda. Because of this influence, she let her hair slightly hang down and she changed into a Nebula Shirt, which was one of her favourite outfits. After applying some eye shadow for a "more intricate" look, she finished vacuuming—to her relief—and exited the house.

The temperature was below average that morning and a chilly wind brushed by the animals frequently. Cheri and Dizzy were happy that it was windy, though it seemed to subside every few minutes before picking up again. This looked as though it would prove problematic for most of the day. They tried to stay positive in the least.

"It'll be all right if we can't get the kite to fly. We'll still have an experience to share with the others!" Cheri cried jokingly, slapping Dizzy on the back, which made him jump. "We can get this kite to sail around in the sky, you'll see, almost like Olive is today. The only difference is that she's sailing around in the sea." Dizzy failed to respond to her yarn.

The Pond was generally very crowded. Many animals were fishing and preparing themselves for the June Fishing Tourney, an upcoming event that the majority of the town's residents practiced for year-round. It was to begin in two days and last until the final Sunday in June.

Cheri recognized some animals who were: there was Butch, who had been at the Pond nearly everyday since the cousins had moved into town; Mathilda, though she was concentrating more on gossiping with another animal that she had yet to meet; and Punchy was fiercely gripping his pole, as if to imply his impatience for a fish to bite his line.

"Dizzy, before we do anything, who is that purple boar chatting away with Mathilda?" Cheri gestured toward the pair.

The elephant gasped sarcastically. "Well, Mathilda's crowd is made up of a bunch of wacky and weird gossip-freaked ladies. That purple _boar_, as you'd referred to her, is her best friend and the queen of the unpredictable. Her name is Susanna Ester, but some animals call her Sue E. to make it easier. I'll admit though that lately a lot of us have been using her full name. Anyway, let's not approach them."

He untangled his kite and handed it to Cheri. "Okay, you're going to run while holding the kite and I'll make sure that the rope doesn't come undone. If I'm not mistaken, something like that happened the last time I'd tried flying this thing. Remember to run very fast!"

Complying, Cheri examined the kite and momentarily admired the cold-coloured pattern before beginning to run across town. As she sprinted, occasionally she felt a draft, with hopes that she was going to be lifted off the ground, but that was not the case. Instead the kite gained speed and flew for a short period of time before returning to Cheri's grasp.

By noon, the kite still was not in the air. It had come very close to soaring above the treetops almost ten times, but eventually the wind either died down or the rope became tangled in a branch or two. At 12:30, Dizzy concluded that the kite was never going to fly again and decided that he would trash it when he returned home.

"It wasn't meant to fly?" Cheri speculated vaguely.

"Yes it was!" Dizzy exclaimed impatiently. "I did it a few years ago. How could it give out like this now? Man...!" He grunted several times over and threw it on the ground. "I'm going to talk to Punchy. Do what you want with it before I leave."

The kite did not fly, even after several more attempts by the red bear. Her patience also expired sometime by late afternoon and she left it by the side of the Pond, where she knew Dizzy would locate it when he was prepared to go home. She placed her hands in the pockets of her outfit and began walking home, dissatisfied.

For the remainder of the day, Cheri mowed the lawn, tended to the garden, washed and hung the laundry to dry, dusted furniture, and vacuumed the kitchen. By the day's end, she was overly exhausted. Although she had debated taking a nap, she figured that her cousins would return home by 7:00—it was 5:30—and she began preparing dinner. She walked into the kitchen, reluctantly pulled the lobster she had purchased from Nook's earlier that morning out of the refrigerator, and set it on the counter top.

Olive stepped in the door at 6:45 and Cupcake followed at 7:15. Both were very exhausted, but not to the extent of their cousin. Cheri was sitting at the kitchen table half-asleep, her comprehension likely elsewhere. A glass of orange juice sat next to an almost-completed crossword puzzle. They laughed at what they referred to as the "sleepless spectacle".

"I see she bothered to take care of some chores," Olive commented. Her eyes darted around the kitchen.

"Yeah," agreed Cupcake. "The laundry's been hung as well, did you notice?"

The two bears laughed as they went to get changed. From the table, Cheri shook her head and brought her hands to her eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. "I'm glad they like the place," she said to herself. "It's definitely something, considering that I was the one responsible for it today. It's beautiful. I'll try to keep it this way every time it's my turn to clean." She lowered her head again and fell asleep.

Olive and Cupcake re-entered the kitchen dressed in their nightgowns. They each poured themselves a glass of milk.

"What was it like sailing?" Cupcake asked her younger cousin. "It must have been great, I mean, you were gone for the whole day."

Olive nodded. "Well, Penny was late, so we didn't leave the harbor until 10:30. When she finally arrived, we went out to sea and sailed about for three hours. After that, we decided to go back to her house for lunch, and she cooked grilled cheese sandwiches! She says that they're one of her favourite foods. Anyway, we went back out to sea until just a few minutes ago and then I decided that it was time to leave since my favourite movie is on TV tonight. Do you know which one that is? _Impossible Fantasy_! It's the best romance of all time! It also happens to star my favourite actor too!"

Cupcake played with her tongue momentarily. "That gorilla, right? What's his name? Peewee? He's certainly something else, I'll tell you that."

"Yes!" Olive responded. "Well... I see Cheri prepared lobster for dinner. I wonder how much money she spent at Nook's today? Anyway, the movie starts at 7:30. Let's get comfy in the living room with our food and watch it, okay?"

A playful grunt came from Cupcake. "All right, that sounds great."


	8. The Famous Fishing Tournament

**COUSINS  
****Chapter 8: The Famous Fishing Tournament**

* * *

The train station speakers turned on after the town bell rang at 6:00 AM on Sunday morning. Pelly's roaring voice was emitted over the train station speakers as she broadcast the beginning of the hugely-anticipated June Fishing Tournament season. It was held at the Veltron pond twice a year and its founder, Chip the Beaver, was infatuated with bass; they were the only fish permitted in the competition.

Pelly announced, "Good morning! It's June 3rd and the first official day of the June Fishing Tourney! All participants should make their way to the pond, where president Chip will be awaiting to commence the event. You will gain fishing status for the day's entirety and are welcome to rejoin at any given time. Please remember that this is a competition and anything goes! Good luck to everybody!" The speakers turned off as the pelican muttered a curse under her breath for unknown reasons.

Olive had been awake for half an hour and was finishing a cup of coffee at the kitchen sink. She watched as some of the townspeople exited their houses and walked toward the pond whilst reminiscing about the previous two days, both of which she had spent with Penny and Vesta. On Saturday they had agreed to help organize an upcoming event to be hosted by the Farway Museum and went to Violet Meadows to have a picnic and share stories. It lightly rained overnight, but nobody seemed to notice.

"...Good morning?"

It took a few seconds for Olive to register the voice behind her. She spun around to see Cupcake partially-dressed and holding an empty ashtray that had been suspiciously positioned on the pink bear's nightstand before they had went to bed the previous evening. Because it was uncommon for Cupcake to wake up at an early hour, she was unable to gain consciousness and almost stumbled into the table. Olive sat her in one of the chairs.

"Why are you up at such an ungodly hour?" Cupcake asked, but she knew that she would regret it the second she had asked.

Olive snorted sardonically. "Nine-to-five. That's been my schedule for more than three years now. Did you honestly believe I was just going to let you get away easily with that one? I'll be leaving within the next half hour, so while you adjust to this early-bird schedule, I'll pour you a decaf and make some strawberry pancakes. The ingredients were imported from home, believe it or not." She returned her attention to the window and the outside world.

Five minutes later, Cheri entered the kitchen cheerily. She was also partly dressed, but had taken the time to comb her hair and wash her face, which water was dripping off. She was wearing a deep maroon blouse (Olive and Cupcake presumed it was a clever retort at her red fur) and military-like jeans. She seated herself in the kitchen's farthest corner and placed a newspaper on the table as she greeted her cousins a good morning.

"Both of you should still be sleeping, _especially_ you, Cupcake. What's with the change in heart today? The tourney?" Olive asked as she placed three large mugs of coffee on the table. Cheri and Cupcake grabbed their cups, but didn't answer their cousin, who stared at them peculiarly.

"Okay," spoke Cupcake. She consumed her entire drink in one gulp and wiped her lips. "There's this obnoxious law that states if one has lived in Veltron for less than six months, they'll eventually be forced to work approximately twelve hours on any given day within that time period. As it turns out, today's my day, which is bothersome because I really wanted to go to the Fishing Tourney like the rest of you."

Cheri flipped to the newspaper's second page. "That's your luck," she teased sincerely whilst reading the headline _Bargaining and his distant relatives_. "Dizzy invited me to go with him since his previous fishing buddy moved away, and I said yes. He wanted to get there at 7:00, but if Olive's leaving earlier, I guess I'll go with her—hey, did you know Tom Nook's second cousin is getting married in the capital today?" She began reading the article.

At 6:30, Cupcake left the house swiftly because she was already late for work. Cheri and Olive darted off in the opposite direction toward the pond in Acre C-5, which was very crowded for the time of day. Butch, the dog the cousins had invited to dinner in May, was sitting on the pier with a fishing pole that extended over the entire pond, and Mathilda and Susanna Ester were standing side-by-side next to Butch, gossiping about Lady Cleo's new bonnet. Another local, Punchy, a metre and a half tall cat, was also fishing, though he looked somewhat bored. It appeared that Butch was the only animal who was motivated to win.

The tournament's founder, Chip, was standing next to a large coach that had many banners on it. He wore a fluffy blue vest over a plainer white t-shirt. His long khaki pants almost blended in with the grass beneath him and his brunette locks were shocking to the girls; they had never seen a male with such hair before. They chose to ignore his amusing style and introduced themselves to him.

"We're relatively new in town," Olive said. "My cousin and I would like to participate in this season's tourney, but we don't know—"

Olive was interrupted by Chip's sudden alertness. "Why, of course! Because I am the most critical animal in this rather delicious tourney, it is my job to assist you in any way possible, and provide you with the rules! To begin, you must enter your names at the front desk, which is this very remarkable carriage-like structure. Secondly, you fish! That will take you as long as it must, because I only accept bass in this scrumptious event! Unfortunately for you, I do not supply fishing rods; that's your own responsibility. After you catch a bass, please return here and offer it to me with all excitement and haste! Remember, the biggest fish by dusk will be crowned victorious!" He applauded several times and caught his breath.

While they had found Chip entertaining, neither Cheri or Olive assumed he was good-natured. It was likely that he would take their fish regardless of whether it was the largest catch of the day or not. They also considered his personality slightly vexing and somewhat eccentric.

"Bass are most commonly found in the river and upstream," Chip continued. "On record, the largest catch in Veltron was seventy-eight centimetres, but if you're lucky, perhaps you'll haul in an even bigger fish! Remember, _bass_ only! If you successfully win one of the weekly summer tourneys, then you will qualify for the Champion Tourney, held on June's final Sunday! In this competition, a magnificent prize awaits you, that is, if you're triumphant! Otherwise, all my pity will rain down on you! And that's the general overview of this mouth-watering contest! Prizes will be sent via mail. Is everything clear now?"

A gentle nod came from Olive, but Cheri thoughtfully asked, "There are five Sundays this June. Let's say there were only four Sundays? What would you do? Would the previous three winners be permitted?"

The beaver shook his head rapidly and clasped his hands on shoulders. "Hell, no! That would be less fish for me! When four Sundays fall in the months of June or November, a normal tourney is held during the final week instead of a champion round. It makes it easier for me." He wiped his brow. "I believe you now know everything; are you ready to begin fishing? Take these wristbands." He gave the bears wristbands that indicated their inclusion in the competition and then turned his attention to another animal who was approaching him with a fairly large bass. He measured it and announced loudly, "Thirty centimetres! A very big catch for this time of the morning!"

Cheri and Olive scouted out in different directions. Cheri wandered upstream and peered in the river every few seconds to find wiggling shadows swim away as she noticed them. The majority were relatively small and she ignored them, walking slowly. One of the residents that she had yet to introduce herself to, Pate, a purple duck with a quick temper, was serenly fishing half-asleep on the river's opposite side, gripping the pole very tightly. A can of worms sat next to her; Cheri wondered if that method still worked since it seemed overrated. More shadows appeared in the water, but they swam away too quickly for the red bear. She sighed.

On the other hand, Olive walked downstream, following the river back to their house. As she pulled up a bluegill from the water, she noticed that a band of tourists were wearing the wristbands that Chip had distributed to them, which bewildered her. Although some of the animals looked as though they wanted to partake in the Fishing Tourney, they stayed close with the group as their guide, an orange-haired eagle—his nametag read Buzz—directed them to the ocean along the beach acres.

"...Of course, I said no since that'd go against my code of honour—not that I've already broken it—but at the same time I felt provoked by the superstitious intentions. He was very intimidating and had an impeccable, yet indescribable aura about him. So I thought it'd be best to—"

"Good morning!" interrupted Cheri, sitting next to where Mathilda and Susanna Ester were fishing. "Isn't it beautiful today? Mathilda, I've heard some very sneaky stuff about you. After you bought that spectacular gown I've been hearing about, apparently you paid Mr. Tom Nook a visit and spat all over his wares! You've got a lot of free time on your hands, don't you? But is this gossip as true as the blue ocean? Don't lie to me now!" Her sudden demeanor was unexplainable.

The two girlfriends looked at each other and unexpectedly began hysterically laughing. Cheri was not surprised by their abruptness, and instead joined in on their uncontrollable chuckle. Mathilda sensed the bear's persistence in irritating them and rose from the ground slowly, her laughter long gone. She said, "I think you need to take your medication. Since it's early, you must've left the house forgetfully. That's not healthy, Cheri." She raised an eyebrow.

Susanna Ester snapped her fingers thoughtfully. "On the contrary, the two of us never bother with poorly-dressed folk. You should be categorized as a very ordinary person, one who's so_ bland_. If you get the opportunity to spiff yourself up or do something with that humiliating haircut, we might consider you one of the _worthy_ animals. Currently, you're miles away. Now, yes Cheri, we all know that you've been wanting to be accepted, but it's not gonna happen today... you can get back to fishing, we're done with you."

"No, no!" Mathilda howled. "Sue, please stop being a vicious pest. Why now allow this small-headed bear to fish with us? It would be useful for someone like her to pick up some fashion pointers and someone like us to have a hoot. Not that we just did, pardon." They laughed again.

At this point, Cheri had already moved farther south in her cousin's direction. She had thrown her fishing pole in the river after noticing the biggest lunker that morning; however, the bear was uncertain whether it would set a record for the morning hours. After struggling with the line for thirty seconds, Cheri pulled up a bass that she presumed was approximately thirty centimetres, which was the length of an everyday ruler sold at Tom Nook's and other variety stores and markets. Before it escaped, she took a bucket out of her pocket, which she placed it in. As the fish died, Cheri pondered about the prize she would receive if she set a record.

As fast as her feet carried her, Cheri made her way to Chip, who was chewing on a string of wheat and mumbling random catch phrases to himself. Without hesitance, she handed him the fish and called out, "Look what I found! Tell me that this is a killer winner or else I'll go bonkers." She smiled unrealistically.

Chip's eyes glowed at the sight of the fish. "_Who! What! When! Where! Why! How!_" he screamed. "No lollygagging! No lazy musings! This looks like the year's biggest fish! I haven't seen such a lip smacking bass in the longest of times that I longed for before the year began! Now let me just measure this defined beauty before he becomes all mine, mine, mine! Ooh, what a lunker!" He continued rambling as he retrieved the measuring tape. "Ah, it's twenty-seven centimetres, something of eleven inches. It's a morning record and now_ all mine!_"

Cheri applauded herself. "I am the leader? That's great!"

"However, I've seen much larger at this hour before," lamented Chip. "Whatever, of course, because I'm ready to eat. Your name will be announced on the loudspeakers if your fish is overtaken by a greater. Take this prize, a birdhouse, and enjoy it while I enjoy this big boy, who's sure not to enjoy what I'm about to do to him!" The beaver hurriedly raced behind the carriage and began frying the bass over a campfire he had constructed earlier.

---

The Fishing Tourney concluded at 6:00 PM. The town bell rang six times and another announcement blared throughout the town.

"The weekly June Fishing Tourney is officially adjourned for today. The president, Chip, will post the results and the winner's name on the Acre B-3 bulletin board in approximately ten minutes' time. The next competition will be held on June 10th and the same rules will apply. Thank you for participating in this week's tourney and have yourselves a good night. Don't forget that Veltron will be hosting this year's Gallery Pleau Week."

The bulletin board's information results stunned everybody; Cheri hadn't won the competition. Instead it was Olive. Chip had written a very flashy message on the bulletin board: _Congratulations to Olive for catching a fifty-four centimetre fish! You have won the first official June Fishing Tourney!_

Cheri looked at her cousin. "Wow, sometimes you can do more than pull magic out of your hat!" she exclaimed. "Of course, it's very frustrating for someone like me. But I won't be in next week's competition; this thing's more work than getting Cupcake out of bed so early. Heh."

"Yeah!" Olive laughed.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: This chapter was enjoyable to write since I introduced a new writing-style into the content. I hope you liked it!


	9. It's Art!

**COUSINS  
Chapter 9: It's Art!**

**

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**

A depressing morning greeted Veltron: the sun's rays were blocked from the countless clouds covering the sky and the grass dropped, making it look almost two-dimensional. The stench of rain hung in the air, although it had yet to begin raining, which was forecast for the evening hours and the following day's morning hours.

Cupcake was looking at the house's front garden from the doorstep. "Rain is coming and here I am tending to the tulips," she commented as she pulled weeds from the soil. "I should really learn what my boundaries are. I feel as though I'm accomplishing this for nothing!"

The front door opened and Olive walked out. "I can hear you from indoors, Cupcake," she said. "If you continue talking to yourself, the neighbours are going to be under the impression that you're insane. So please do us the favour of watching yourself and knowing your limits." She intentionally yawned and stretched her arms.

The pink bear turned to her younger cousin. "Oh, learn to keep that mouth of yours closed! I was merely expressing how I feel... but I prefer using the word _boundaries_ rather than _limits_, which suggests that I can touch the sky instead of corner myself when it's most-required. Plus, I'm sure you've talked to yourself before. Now why are you out here anyway? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Flicking her hair back, Olive responded, "I was ready to go to Vesta's. Today is a special day because we're going to help prepare for the Museum's upcoming Gallery Pleau Week, where the most exquisite paintings are on display. There will also be ancient artifacts, which has resulted in a week-long entrance fee! The Museum has never done this before. I can't wait to see the artifacts and paintings of all—"

"Paintings?" Cupcake interrupted angrily. "You're not kidding, are you? It has been nearly ten years since a new piece was shipped to any museum in the country. Olive, what in the world is the meaning of this?" She looked as though she was about to self-destruct.

Olive ignored her cousin. "I didn't say that I was going to paint. Please don't make yourself mad like that; Vesta and I know what we're doing."

Cupcake failed to react. She resumed tidying the weed-infested garden for a couple seconds before choosing to turn back to Olive. She said, "Okay, fine, maybe I retorted irresponsibly. You don't need to hold a grudge against me now. Just be on your way and I'll see you later. By the way, could you drop by Tom Nook's later and pick up some carrots? We're making stew tonight."

The grey bear nodded. "Of course."

Olive left the house ten minutes later. The gloomy weather did not bother her and she was happy that they would not have to water the garden for the day; although it was very likely that there would be an excessive amount of weeds by the following morning. As she approached Vesta's house, she began skipping the remainder of the way and sang one of her favourite recording artist's songs.

Art was a large part of Olive's life. She had always dreamed of becoming a top-ranking artist throughout the country, but since high school graduation, she hadn't painted nearly as well as he had before. Olive was a hands-on animal and she enjoyed simple things rather than complicated assignments. While it was a possibility, she didn't expect to regain her former ability after the Museum's exhibition.

"_I'm a girl and in this world, I've got no respect for my peers. Loneliness is everybody's fool and I feel like I've been the fool. Keep dreaming, then your heart's healing... all that you've endured. Taste the water so pure. I'm telling you there's no other way, and I know we'll make it someday. I want you to be more than happy, 'cuz you are my morning glory._"

Olive stopped singing "Morning Glory" as Vesta's house came into view. The garden was gigantic and every flower sold at Tom Nook's was blossoming. The windows were recently painted a thick beige and the roof was a duller colour than it had been two weeks before. Vesta's welcome mat was no longer at the door's base and was replaced with a round carpet with a picture of a tea cup and several tree leaves; the sheep said she enjoyed "experimenting". Olive rang the doorbell and admired the whimsical household.

Vesta smiled as she answered the door. She was wearing a Peachy Shirt, sold exclusively during the springtime and was a mixture of more than fifty hues that complemented each other. In her hands was a book titled _The Semester_, written by her favourite author, and she placed it on the table next to the door, welcoming her guest and immediately offering her a cup of tea. Olive was reminded of the new doormat.

The house was not as big as the majority of the town's residents had assumed. The ranch series furniture set was scattered about the first room and Vesta's bed was in the north-eastern corner. The entire set was not assembled though: the sofa was on the room's western end, next to the kitchen doorway and the tea table was in front of it. The bookcase was in the north-western corner and the dresser in front of her bed. An armchair and table chair were in the south-western corner beside the table Vesta had placed her book on. The matching carpet and wallpaper were in the room, but Olive could not help noticing that she was missing the ranch hutch and wardrobe.

"Ah, your house is missing something, but it distinctively reminds me of my grandparents!" Olive exclaimed seriously. "Your house is a work of art in its own right."

Vesta closed the front door. "Thank you, I'm a sucker for country-themed interior design. I don't know what I'd do without it," she said placidly and walked into her kitchen. "Anyway, it's in fact not missing pieces from the ranch series, if that's what you're referring to. I figured that the hutch would be better-suited for the kitchen and the wardrobe is in my closet. I'll place it in my bedroom after rearranging my furniture because currently it's untidy. But thank you for your concern." She smiled brightly. "Now would you like some tea?"

The grey bear nodded. "Please."

After the kettle whistled, Vesta poured two cups of tea and returned to her front room, handing one to Olive. They started casually socializing about the town's financial condition and government-related topics, including the apparent decision to decrease taxes, but raise the train ticket sales significantly. Because they were not entirely fond of Tom Nook, they had no shame in cracking jokes about his figure or tendency to forget common words, such as "cozy". Two hours later, Vesta looked out her backyard window and noticed that it had begun raining; she looked at the clock, which indicated that it was quite late in the morning.

"I think it would be best if we started working on the Museum's layout. We don't want to get behind in our scheduling," she explained as she walked into the kitchen and placed the empty cups in the sink. When the sheep returned to her room, she continued, "I have a funny feeling that this is going to be a long process. The one thing that's for certain"—she sat down on the couch—"is that the entrance fee is going to be rub some animals the wrong way. Since it was founded, the Farway Museum has never done this. I wonder what persuaded them to enforce it at a time like this."

Olive shrugged and wryly mused, "All the tourists would attract a lot of money."

Vesta crossed her legs. "Of course, silly me," she whispered almost silently. She rose her voice an octave and looked at her friend. "After all, many famous artists and sculptors are going to have their work exhibited. Yes, these will be fairly old paintings since the country hasn't permitted new work for some ten years, but it'll be worth it, don't you think? My favourite artists—Arpantha, Huragä, Ilédinêz—will be on display. It's been a long time coming and I have been eager to see those masterpieces again." She turned to watch the falling rain outside the back window. "At least Veltron will be raking in some extra cash!"

"An absolutely splendid idea if you were to ask me," Olive said whilst grinning. "Besides, let's put our monetary burdens behind us. My family's still got a large loan on our house, even with your help." She shrugged again, though this time less earnestly. Sometimes the bear thought that they would never finish paying off their debt, which was still in the hundred thousands.

"Time is of the essence, as they say," sympathized Vesta. She rose from her seat and walked over to her dresser, where she withdrew three large diagrams that Olive failed to distinguish from the couch. When the sheep reassumed her position on the couch, she realized that it was for the Farway Museum: the implied design that Vesta had drawn the night before, as indicated by the date on the sheet's bottom-left corner. Olive commented on the luxurious affair her friend had put together.

There was a moment of silence. Suddenly, Vesta laughed softly. "Don't praise my work, Olive. You know that you're the real crème de la crème and I'm just a struggling platform for your success!" Laughter continued to fill the room's otherwise still ambiance, and Olive couldn't help but mourn her previous status as her town's most-promising artist. While it had been difficult for her to commit to a new career after her "miserable" attempt to have her paintings showcased at the Farway Museum back home, she pushed herself into believing that her life had corrected itself.

"Thank you," Olive said passionately. "I still think that this... _art_ has left me permanently. I can't draw or sketch the layout, Vesta, I'm sorry." She sighed and cupped a fist, resting it on her leg. "As far as I'm concerned, the life I used to lead vanished before my very eyes and now all I can do is follow what my heart most desires today."

A slow nod came from Vesta, who was no longer laughing and instead listening attentively. She said, "What your heart most desires today is for you to draw, paint, whatever you want to call it."

Olive snorted edgily. "If you honestly think there's something deep behind that, then don't get your hopes up."

As if Vesta had predicted what her friend was going to say, she cleared her throat. "I want you to tell me the whole story. That day when we were at Violet Meadows, you mentioned some odds and ends, but I've been wanting to know... everything. I'm sorry if I'm imposing or being utterly avaricious. Olive"—she took the bear's hands in hers—"what is it that drove you away from such artistry? You can't just go and abandon what you _need_."

The clock was ticking. Olive failed to respond for five minutes and finally stood, but chose not to look at her friend.

"Please tell me," reiterated Vesta. "Tell me."

Olive caved in. "When I was six-years-old, I was fascinated with anything that was artistic because it allowed me to explore all my creativity, all that stuff... after learning that crayons emitted a rainbow of colours, my interested blossomed and I was hooked. My hands were my pride and joy since they were responsible for controlling anything and everything I became infatuated with. An everyday pencil alone drove me up walls. With some effort and, like you said earlier, _time_, I improved... uh, what's that word? Oh, darn—Tom Nook moment! Ah, _considerably_; I improved considerably!"

Expectantly, Vesta was humored at the mention of Tom Nook, but tried to remain focused on her friend's story.

"Awards, so many awards. I was the recipient of my elementary's school _Most Inspirational_ plaque, which I haven't taken my eyes off all my life. Then there were all those certificates, oh, I was afraid that my room back home would be the most clustered in the country. My friends were either empathetic of me or feverously jealous. I tried to put two and two together, and I did. Some of my friends were wasting my time and others were true to me, especially those from my childhood days. Finally the day came when I was offered a scholarship, one that would permit me entrance to the doors of Animal Art University. I was the best in the country at the time and after graduation, I was decorating rooms for the Prime Minister and corporation chiefs and managers. For me, it was _the_ typical day."

Vesta's jaw was slightly hanging and her face was flushed; Olive assumed that she was shocked to learn about her past and chose not to spare her another moment. The bear's eyes quickly darted around the room as she assembled the next part of the story that she wanted to detail, without forgetting any critical portions. She turned to look at her friend before sitting on the couch again.

Although Olive knew she was afraid to, Vesta nudged a small smirk. Olive continued, "Yes, I was exceptionally-skilled, according to my family and friends. So it was about two years ago when I knew my career was ending. Not just was I becoming more dependent on repetitious interior designs, I was also somewhat clumsy in proportion and symmetry art, my two enemies. I continue to call them that today. The Farway Museum in my hometown was looking for upcoming talent and they had heard about me; really, I don't think anybody _hadn't_. Because they were looking for those two artistic aspects, originally I thought I was doomed. The day they were revealed to the Museum, my abilities were questioned and the staff decided against displaying both pieces." She breathed heavily. "I resigned my post afterward and when Cheri and Cupcake told me that they were buying a house in a 'middle-of-nowhere' suburb, I took the offer to follow them and hide out. Here I am now. Pathetic, isn't it?" Vesta watched as tears began trickling down the bear's face.

Within seconds, Olive was sobbing and Vesta retrieved a tissue box for her.

"Oh, Olive, I understand what you're going through," the sheep said supportively. "Listen, um... when I was in secondary school, I had this undying love for travelling. A few years ago my father and older brother went on a cruise, which was going to take them to many different places in the world. My younger brothers were unable to go because they were too young at the time, and I said no for reasons I've never comprehended. I loved travelling, so why was I suddenly rejecting what I'd always wanted to do?" Vesta could feel tears in her eyes and closed them hastily. "My mother received priority mail a mere five days later informing those that didn't go on the cruise that all its passengers were killed after the ship capsized when it ran into a gigantic reef. I lost my brother and father."

Olive was no longer crying and instead listening without looking her friend in the eyes. She attempted to occupy herself with the portraits on the wall, but she couldn't resist the tragic tale that Vesta was narrating. At the same time, the grey bear pitied herself for being so reliant on her own miseries when others had more depressing and malevolent stories. Finally she summoned the courage to look at her friend without turning away. She asked her about the aftermath.

"We all tried our hardest to forget," Vesta said. "I had travelled all around the country, but when I was offered the chance of a lifetime, why was my reception so negative? I said that school was more important since this cruise indeed overlapped my final semester, but it's still something I cannot comprehend. I use that word a lot these days." Vesta looked at the diagrams on the table and she shoved them off irritably. They hit the floor with a small thud. "Don't worry about the Farway Museum's layout. I think... the staff will come up with something."

The town bell chimed twelve times. It was noon.

As if on cue, Vesta moved toward the kitchen and asked Olive if she wanted lunch. The bear said yes and requested water as a beverage. A platter of tiny cheese, ham and turkey sandwiches (which she had prepared earlier) sat on the counter and Vesta filled one of the glasses with tap water and the other with her homemade lemonade, which she referred to as "a very convincing taste"; in reality, it tasted like sour water with an assortment of indescribable fruits. The majority of the town's residents had tried the drink and it had garnered mixed reviews.

Olive acted surprised at the large plate that entirely overtook the coffee table; Vesta laughed and said that while she had owned the table for more than a year, most of the townspeople that had entered her house were not particularly smitten with its presence. "I, of course, having much better taste than somebody like that foul pig Susanna Ester, opted to follow my own instincts and leave it right here. She felt insulted the next time I invited her over, which was only to collect a dress I'd sewn for her." The friends laughed amidst proposed a toast to each other and clanked their glasses boisterously.

"You remind me of the sister I never had," Olive said to Vesta, who handed her a couple napkins. "Of us three cousins, Cheri's the only one with siblings. Both are, in fact, a lot younger and much wiser than she is. Her mum was very difficult on her even before her brother and sister were born, and after they began succeeding in school, lovers and work, Cheri was shunned. Coming here was like an escape for her, but she knows that her mum loves her dearly. Every time one of my aunt's children went on a school trip for a long time, she morphed into a wimp, crying exceptionally at the train station. I swear that those were some of the most entertaining moments of my upbringing!"

Vesta sipped her lemonade. "There's a lot of love there."

Olive contemplated before continuing to chronicle her family's history. "Cupcake is the oldest of us three. She's also an only child, like me, because her mum was almost unable to give birth to her. She suffered incredibly, from what I've heard, and she explained to my uncle after the birth that she didn't want to have more children. My uncle protested, but ironically, he died the following month. Cupcake never knew her father. Her only role model was her mother, who had landed a job at Fauna magazine some months later, which was... well, what we considered her major influence; you know, the clothing and all that stuff was Cupcake's getaway."

"I see, I see," Vesta responded. She had nodded her head several times throughout Olive's story and called it a "gem" of olden times. "So what you're telling me is that the reason the three of you came to live in Veltron was because of issues you hadn't been capable of resolving on your own. Relaxation and peace away from home was your sweet escape? Did your mother allow you to move here?"

Olive rolled her eyes and tapped the coffee table. "Like a hole in the head," she mumbled. "Originally she insulted us and accused us of wanting more than we could afford. No, she was definitely upset with what Cheri and Cupcake wanted to do and when I got involved, she thought of it as a curse. You could say I was in it for the sweet escape and Cheri was in it for the sweet escape, but for her it was leaving the pressure behind. Cupcake has always loved fashion and that's never going to change. I felt like an outsider since I was very certain that I wouldn't be coming, but my aunts persuaded my mother quite well. I packed my belongings in three hours and two days later, we arrived here in Veltron."

The remainder of the meal was eaten in stony silence with nothing but the clock ticking every second. Vesta gestured to take her friend's plate after they had both finished and she returned to the kitchen to place them in the sink. For a few minutes they pondered thoughtfully in the separate rooms, but Vesta sensed the need to see Olive again, walking into her front room to a large grin on the bear's face.

"Do you have faith in me?" Olive asked.

"Faith? What do you mean?" Vesta seated herself on the couch.

"Should I try drawing again? Art in general, I mean?"

The sheep smiled too. "You just made my day ten times happier than it was when I was in the kitchen. Olive, I have more faith in you than anybody else at this moment in time. All you've got to do is believe and I'm positive that you'll think of something amazing, perhaps something even more delirious than you did five, ten, fifteen years ago." She took the bear's hands in hers again and shook them recklessly before apologizing. "I want you to do nothing else and nothing more. I want to know what made you think of art again and what swayed you to return to what was once your common ground?"

Without hesitating, Olive responded, "My cousins: Cheri's delicate, yet strong; Cupcake's snotty, yet precious. I want to be known as shy, yet colourful. I'm _getting_ that Museum job!"

They squealed excitedly and jumped for a couple minutes before Vesta said, "You're not all that shy, you know. After that picnic in Violet Meadows, you abandoned that shyness. You need to concentrate on being a very loving and open girl, Olive. That's what I love about you and while someone like Susanna Ester might not—have you even met her?—there's no reason to hurt yourself because of a view. Their view is not yours. Only yours matters."

Olive retained her smile. "If that's what you love about me, that's what you're going to get."

Vesta chuckled. "Spoken like a true artist."

Tears started dripping from Olive's eyes again. "I can't remember how long it's been since I used my artistic talent, that talent I thought had been long gone. Friendship's really worth more than anything else in the whole world, and you've opened my eyes. From the bottom of my heart, I can't think of much more to say than 'thank you'. It may not mean much now, but I bet that someday you'll see how much that 'thank you' really inspired me."

The two friends shared a warm hug.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: One of my cuddlier endings for a chapter. It's not what I was originally going to write, but it just happened. I hoped you liked it!


	10. Gathering Feast with the Snobs

**COUSINS  
Chapter 10: Gathering Feast with the Snobs  
**

**

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**

"We've got mail!" Cheri told her cousins.

Cupcake was cooking breakfast and looked out the window to find Cheri running around the acre. She was holding four letters—to date, the most that their household had received. Strangely, they were different colours and some had stamps they had never seen before.

"Could you read the return addresses, Cheri?" Cupcake called out. "If they're unnecessary, don't bring them in. The best you could do is dig a hole and give the letter a proper burial." She chuckled at her joke. "Hurry in now!"

Rolling her eyes, Cheri entered the house, placing the mail on the kitchen table. "I've become somewhat tired after running like that," she said, panting. "I guess you could read the mail yourself, Cupcake. Oh, I forgot to tell you that I'm going over to T-Bone's house today. He suggested the opportunity to learn knitting, which I guarantee will be beneficial for the chillier months. You have heard that Veltron experiences some of the roughest winter weather, right?" She removed her shoes and sat on the living room couch.

Cupcake sighed and followed with a moan. "You're becoming hard to work with! What's with the excuses, Cheri? Honestly, it's starting to seem utterly suspicious and that's not a good thing. Why don't you just do as I ask you? Please open the damn letters and read them aloud! Is it too much to ask of your cousin? I'd surely hope not." She turned around and resumed cooking.

"Don't bother, I'll read the mail," Olive offered. "It's a pleasant morning and you should be on your way to T-Bone's house. Cupcake knows that we're not in the position to assume that you're lying. It's for a good cause, after all, so let's not be too harsh." She picked up the first envelope and began ripping at the tip. "See you later, Cheri."

Moments later, Cheri quietly exited the house.

Olive shook her head and she avoided Cupcake's eyes. "You don't have to tell her that she's out of line, you know," she said as she continued to tear at the letter. "Sometimes it's unnatural for me to argue about such a silly situation, but whatever. No more accusations." The bear stopped talking; she found it irregular for her to sustain a conversation for a long period of time.

It wasn't for another five minutes before Olive opened the first letter. She cursed aloud when she successfully completed her task and indicated that whomever had mailed them was overprotective of their material. To her exasperation, it was an advertisement to a flourishing market that would temporarily set up shop in Veltron beginning in November. Neither cousin understood why they would write letters to their clients six months in advance. The second letter was a similar advertisement, but concerned Gracie and her upcoming fashion debuts; Cupcake said she would look at it later that day and placed it on her bedside.

The third letter was from Tom Nook. Because the bears were fed up with receiving mail from him that involved their loan, they decided to throw it in the wastebasket. Cupcake said that she had no interest in one of his "special sales"; in her opinion they were all the same and stocked anywhere from three to six distinctive items. She also cited them as "the preshow for a long night's sleep".

A fashionably blue coated letter had yet to be read. Frequently in Veltron a blue letter represented an invitation to an event or party. Cupcake was amazed and took the envelope from Olive. She frantically ripped it apart, which revealed a small card with a table on the front. A candlestick sat on the table. Cupcake opened the card, which read:

---

YOU ARE INVITED!

_TONIGHT, AT 8:00 PM, THE DINNER OF A LIFETIME WILL BE HELD AT THE HOME OF MATHILDA! A MERE SIX ANIMALS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED ATTENDANCE AT THIS DINNER, INCLUDING YOU OR MORE._

_PLEASE FIND YOUR WAY TO MATHILDA'S PLACE THIS EVENING DRESSED IN THE LATEST DESIGNS! _

YOU HAD BETTER ATTEND. IF NOT, BANISHMENT FROM YOUR CURRENT SOCIAL STATUS WILL MATERIALIZE._  
__-THE BLACK KANGAROO, MATHILDA!_

_--- _

Cupcake stared at the letter. "We have been invited to a party that will be hosted by... Mathilda."

"_What?_" Olive questioned. She jumped and began asking her cousin several questions, such as the attire they were expected to wear or if they had to prepare some of the platters for the table. Olive even considered purchasing a present to be additionally accepted by Mathilda and her guests. Cupcake rapidly insisted that it was unnecessary to offer them gifts.

"Listen, we don't have to buy anything for them and there's obviously no use in cooking a meal or two," explained Cupcake as though she were the village's educator. "All we have to do is dress in a fitting manner. The letter says that the latest fashions are the most appropriate, but if one knew Mathilda, she's likely got us thinking that way. I wouldn't be surprised if she embarrassed us."

Olive gritted her teeth. "That's my point; now I have to spend the day finding clothes. I'll see you later." She didn't hesitate in grabbing her purse and leaving the house.

Cupcake shrugged. "Okay. I promised to volunteer for Pelly at the Post Office today, so I'm going out as well." She clasped her hands.

The department store doors of Nookington's swung open and in walked Olive. She power walked to the stairs, which would carry her to the second floor, where the clothing was sold. Tom Nook greeted her the moment she placed her foot on the first step. Turning to look at him, she muttered a faint "hello".

"I welcome you to Nookington's, my dear friend, Olive. Your absence from the shop in the past few weeks has been terribly disappointing. Could I ask what you've been up to since then?" He scratched his neck, revealing the darkest spots on his body. Olive hesitated a laugh before returning her attention to the stairs and ascending them; she decided to strike up a conversation with him at a later date, since it was most likely that he would bring up their loan again, which had started to vex all three cousins.

"Um, excuse me! Olive, please come back here now!" the raccoon shouted at his customer. He sighed impatiently.

The sudden hullabaloo astounded Olive, who turned around and looked at him directly in the eye. She was standing on the top step. "Pardon me... I couldn't help noticing that your eyes sparkle so brightly every time you speak," she lied intentionally. "It probably sounds like a bunch of nonsense, but I've got an important dinner to attend tonight and I'm looking for a new outfit. If you don't mind, I'd like to be on my way so I'm not late. If I am, it'll be evident who I've got to blame."

After she stopped speaking, Olive found herself reacquainted with an aisle of luxurious evening gowns. Most were Fauna magazine recommendations.

Tom Nook followed his customer to the second floor and found her browsing through a section of older and cheaper outfits. He walked up to her and said, "I apologize if I'm interfering with your personal life or something, but I'm just curious to know if it's the Mode Tropè June dinner? I'm positive that that's the dinner hosted by those two rich and snobby woman, Mathilda and Susanna Ester. If you were invited to their party, then that means they recognize you. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but they consider you 'worthy' of their presence. When Mathilda came to Veltron, she was immediately attached to arranging exquisite fiestas, but most of them were panned for being about 'high class', which this village has never been. I congratulate you." He bit his lip as he motioned to shake hands with Olive.

Speedily running her index finger through each outfit, Olive responded, "Yes, that's the dinner's name!" and shook his hand. She continued, "According to Mathilda's letter, it's supposed to be very chic and upscale. Of course, it also stated that if we did not attend, she would strip us of our 'titles' and honour that we possess. Cheri, Cupcake and I aren't going because she's threatening us with ridicule, but because it's stupid to turn down an evening of entertainment." She lifted the Wave Print off its hangar and nodded. "This one will do!"

"Yes, that's a beautiful outfit and I'm sure that Mathilda and Susanna Ester will like it," Tom Nook said. "It's 450 Bells."

Olive's eyes widened feverishly. "It's _how much?_ Now we know how you make a living." Her voice hinted vexation. "Guess I'll take it anyway. I need to look good for tonight. By the way, how much are flowers? I'd like to dress their table too, and I'm a big fan of daisies and tulips, so those will do nicely. They _breathe_ life into a room. Blue and red is preferable, thanks." After giving the raccoon 450 Bells for the Wave Print, they went down to the first floor where he sold her three flowers.

"I'll take them! They're lovely!"

---

"...No, I'm sorry. I wish I could assist you, but I'm running a very tight schedule and do not have the time. I will give you a call if there is any additional information, even though this looks unlikely. Is that okay with you? All right, I understand. Take care and goodbye. Yes, goodbye."

Pelly hung up the telephone. Because telephone bills were expensive across the country, very few animals owned one. They were most commonly restricted to commercial industries, government establishments, and shopping centres, such as Tom Nook's. The Post Office rarely accessed the telephone, however.

Cupcake was returning from a delivery to the dock. She was curious to know which other residents had received letters to Mathilda's dinner, but she did not locate any blue-coated envelopes while making her rounds. Pelly knew that Dizzy had received an invitation because he accessed his bank account earlier that morning and informed her. Somehow this gave Cupcake a better idea of the others who had been invited.

"Could you please take this letter to a recipient living on the other side of the village? The address is Acre B-5!" Pelly exclaimed. "You should know that Pete so ill lately and it's very depressing since the workload is stacking up here. Bless his heart, of course, but I need this to be done." The pelican aimlessly tossed the letter at Cupcake, who barely caught it.

"Uh... I'll deliver it. By the way, who lives in Acre B-5? I haven't met anybody there yet."

Without realizing Cupcake's question, Pelly continued typing on the computer keyboard rapidly. "Say what?" she asked. "Who lives there? Oh, I wouldn't bother striking up a conversation with him. His name is Gaston and he's almost fifty-years-old. He's grumpy and hot as hell and many would recommend not becoming familiar with him. He's done pitiful things in the past, including throwing a green table at his then-neighbour. Put the letter in his mailbox and come immediately back, please." She had nothing more to say.

Cupcake responded, "Okay," and hesitantly added, "I suppose" in a hushed tone. She left the Post Office.

The wind was chilly that morning and a pain quickly grew in Cupcake's stomach, which she clutched as she moaned. Thankfully, it subsided soon after. In Veltron June was not necessarily one of the year's warmest months, even though summer was fast-approaching. Most of the time it was raining and the mosquitoes were beginning to return to the village. Cupcake was happy that the summer was not far away.

"His name is Gaston," she pondered. "Judging by his name, I would assume he has... human roots! He must be from that place where they speak French!" She began thinking about her ancestry. "If I'm not mistaken, great-grandmother was... no, she wasn't. We wouldn't have been born back home then." Gaston's house came into view moments later.

There was a large garden at the front of the house. It emanated an almost unpleasant feeling and Cupcake found herself turned away. As she continued to approach the weed-infested garden, she noticed vines growing on the sides of the house; the chimney showed evident signs of age since half its bricks had fallen onto the roof. Gaston certainly didn't take care of his dwelling—Cupcake told herself that she was not going to get along with him.

Deciding that Pelly knew the village than she did, Cupcake inserted the envelope in the mailbox and returned to the Post Office speedily.

"I see you're already back, Cupcake," Pelly regreeted her volunteer. "It's a good thing—Gaston is one of the most terrible people to have lived. I'm glad that you didn't snoop around his place because he could have done something depressing to you. Definitely one of the biggest nuisances this village has hospitalized. I just wish he would grow sick of this place and pack his belongings. This town could use a face-lift, which would be his departure. Anyway, let's get back to work."

"A fine idea, indeed," Cupcake said. She hummed one of her favourite songs before asking, "What should I wear to the dinner tonight?"

Pelly sighed. "That unbelievably negative Mode Tropè dinner thing has been going on for years now... if you were to ask me, I would think that you shouldn't go. However, Mathilda and Susanna Ester are best to avoid when angry and if you didn't attend, they could do cold-hearted things to you. All they ever think about is fashion and money. It's almost laughable since it's so terribly pitiful." Before she could stop herself, she then said, "Mercy on them for their foolishness."

There was a short pause. "If you want to know," Pelly said honestly, "I would suggest something that's going to impress them. Don't buy something that you like—buy something that they'll like. The best chance you've got is with a Gracie fashion or a design from the Able Sisters. They're into reading magazines and if an outfit has received rave reviews, that would also be a good choice for tonight. Nook's clothing is an okay choice. That's all I can really tell you." The pelican shrugged.

Cupcake licked her lips nervously. "I'll do whatever I can. I'll be on my way now." She said goodbye and exited the Post Office.

---

That evening, the cousins were scurrying to find the outfits that would suit them best for the dinner. Cheri suggested that anything with a "fresh touch" was most proper, but the others were uncertain. Olive especially assumed that whatever they wore was going to be insulted by Mathilda and Susanna Ester. Oddly enough, Cupcake wore the least-priced gown because "it was made for her, regardless of cash".

"What do you think of this one?" Cheri held up a Go-Go Shirt, which received a thumbs-down from her cousins. "Are you sure? I know that it's not as hip as it used to be, but I'm not letting 420 Bells go to waste. I'll look cute in it." She stretched the dress over her body and twirled in front of the bedroom mirror. "It'll do," she added.

Olive wore the Wave Print she had purchased earlier that day. Cheri approved of it, but received less praise from Cupcake: "If we were going to the beach, it would be the best outfit to wear. At a dinner, on the other hand, I'm afraid _I will_ be the one embarrassed. It's your choice, though." The pink bear decided to wear a Neo-Classic Knit, an older fashion that was ranked at number-one on a list of Fauna magazine's top dresses seven years earlier.

The cousins left the house at 7:50 PM, ten minutes before the dinner was to begin. Mathilda's house was in Acre C-1, where many animals had gathered that evening. Most of the animals that were uninvited to the party watched from a distance as the guests entered. Her garden was decorated with colourful confetti and countless gnomes. The door was open and Susanna stood in the doorway; she held a clipboard and pencil in her hands and was wearing a Pulse Shirt—Gracie's best-selling shirt from the previous year.

The three bears reintroduced themselves to Susanna.

"Ah! Welcome!" the pig cried out unpredictably as she stretched her evening gown. Cupcake snorted; she knew Susanna was trying to show-off. "Cheri, Olive and Cupcake dressed to look their best? How rather peculiar... since we cannot just let anybody wander in, please present your invitation or else I'm afraid it's goodbye."

While Cheri and Cupcake gulped, Olive perked her nose. "How rather unsurprising," she said mockingly as she drew the invitation from her purse. "Here is the invite with Mathilda's signature and all that you need. If you would now, please step aside so that we can enter the party. The meals will be delicious, I assume." She twitched her eyelashes and wore an avaricious smile.

Susanna trembled. "Your mouth is bigger than your brain, Olive, and it's a wonder how you can't behave more appropriately now than at another time. Go on in; you've been rightfully summoned." She was angry for allowing Olive to get the best of her, but resumed with her post and turned around, calling, "_Cheri, Olive and Cupcake have arrived!_"

The house was beautiful and covered in white curtains, including the coffee tables, couches and most of the chairs. Confetti was everywhere but the floor and the deep blue rugs had a lot of white dots randomly placed on them. The chandeliers were sparkling and also white, although this did not impress them since they were unable to purchase anything as luxurious due to their funds.

To their surprise, Dizzy and Vesta were sitting at the table opposite each other.

"Good evening!" Cheri cried.

Before Dizzy or Vesta could respond, Susanna exclaimed from the door, "_Out sixth guest has arrived! Only Penny remains unattended!_"

A squirrel of five-feet marched into the room. His fur was immensely purple and his head sported vague lime-green hairs. All else appeared normal about him: he wore an urbanized Fiendish Shirt, which almost clashed with his fur, but was stylish nonetheless. The cousins had yet to meet him and they figured he worked the graveyard shift because of this. Cupcake was the first to speak to him.

"Hello, sir," she began, over exaggerating her voice. "I have not had the pleasure of being acquainted with you. My name is Cupcake and I moved to Veltron with my cousins in April. I am the eldest of the three and have pink fur, as I'm positive you can tell." She blushed all at once. "Oh yes, you haven't spoken with my cousins. The red bear is the youngest, Cheri, and the foggier bear is the middle-cousin, Olive. I remember the day we arrived in Veltron. It was very nice." She seemed overly innocent when she had finished.

The squirrel looked dissatisfied. As he shook Cupcake's hand, he said, "My name is Static. I live in Acre F-1 along the beach. Pleased to meet you and your... entourage. Heh." He was uncertain of what to say. "Welcome to the dinner."

Vesta whispered into Olive's ear, "He works out of town, so I'm not surprised that you haven't met him. He's picky, sloppy and is oftentimes doing something that concerns his profession. I can't remember exactly what he works as at this moment. You'll get to know him during the dinner. Honestly, I wouldn't refer to him as exciting." She assured the other bears too.

Susanna came into the dining room. "Penny has arrived and all our guests should socialize until the seating assignment becomes effective." Cupcake hugged the mouse, while Susanna returned to the door and locked it. After brushing her hair aside and hanging the clipboard on a nail in the wall and returned. "Then there _is_ me, Susanna Ester, of course!" She curtsied to the dismay of some of the animals.

"Where do we sit? Could you tell us now so that we rise for Mathilda upon her entry?" Dizzy asked.

A smile came to Susanna's face. "A fine idea!" She scanned the table, which sat eight animals; two on the ends and six middle seats. "Cheri, please sit to my right and Vesta on my left. Static, please sit on Mathilda's left and Cupcake on her right. Olive can sit next to Cheri and Dizzy in the remaining middle seat. You have now been assigned your seats, which will belong to you if you attend future dinners. You could call this perfect procedure, if you would like." The snob stuck her nose in the air. "Oh! I see we are one chair short. Penny does not have anywhere to sit! Let me find one immediately."

Five minutes later, a tape recording of a full orchestral arrangement began playing from several amplifiers and Mathilda walked into the room. To the cousins shock, she was not wearing a Gracie-brand outfit, but instead a silk, brown dress that brought out the colour of her fur. Everybody stood and applauded the dinner's host and noticed her accessories: crimson earrings, a golden bracelet and a diamond ring on her wedding finger. She looked gorgeous and wore a gigantic smile on her face.

"I welcome you to the fifth annual Mode Tropè dinner. I see that Susanna has already shown you your seats, so please take them." Mathilda was seated at the head of the table and Susanna at the opposing end.

"For years now this event has been one of Veltron's most successful; animals of all social statuses pray for an invitation to this dinner, but, alas, dozens never do!" Mathilda told the story with a wicked grin on her face. "Because I was once a lenient shopper of his, Tom Nook attended this dinner for two years; however, he did not take the time to sell any excellent clothing and was expelled by the third year." She sighed with evident pride. "By the way, I am deeply sorry that you do not have anywhere to sit yet, Penny. I should have known that my table sits eight animals. I invited seven and there were already me and Susanna. How, uh, foolish of me."

"Susanna and I," Penny corrected the kangaroo. "And I second that; how foolish of you."

Mathilda glared at the mouse cruelly, as though she was ready to attack on command.

When Susanna returned with the chair, Penny sat next to the pig herself, deducting some of her eating room. The mouse laughed at her antic. Following a prayer, Mathilda instructed Dizzy and Olive to retrieve the appetizer course—tomato soup with crackers—from the kitchen countertop. Later that night they would consume the main meal: roast beef and mashed potatoes with peas and zucchini. The desert was not retrieved from the kitchen at that time, but the scent of pumpkin pie found its way into the dining room.

Dizzy handed everybody a bowl of soup. The cousins said thank you and Mathilda exclaimed, "Enjoy your food!" A mere few seconds later, the kangaroo ascended from her seat and gasped. "Wait! Why don't we have napkins? This is one of the stupidest incidents that has occurred at the Mode Tropè dinner!" She tossed her arms back and forth multiple times, closing in on becoming delirious.

"Please calm down!" Vesta cried. "The napkins are bound to be in the kitchen. This is your house and you should know its interior better than anybody else in this village. They're probably in a cabinet or something. You've lived in Veltron a long time now."

Before the kangaroo could respond, Penny interrupted, "These dinners have been ongoing for five years! Obviously Mathilda knows what she's doing, and it's likely that she forgot to get napkins! The first year she did this everyone assumed she was just looking for friends. When something becomes tradition, you don't purposely forget. And I like these gathering feasts, even if napkins aren't here. Mathilda's the best cook to have been born." She sipped her soup.

The animals chose not to react to Penny's unexpected outburst. Mathilda, however, said, "That's sweet of you. Sometimes it's hard to find wonderful animals worthy of attending these spectacular 'gathering feasts'. Yes, if there is an absence of napkins, we will try our best to go along without them. How do you think people in the olden days lived? They couldn't afford such beautiful meals. We shall eat!" Taking her seat, the kangaroo shook her head at Susanna, who nodded.

Penny began whispering to Cheri: "I would call half her statement sarcasm. Mathilda needs her napkins, really." They chuckled.

After the appetizer was finished, the animals began the main course. They were satisfied, yet amazed, with Mathilda's cooking abilities.

"Static, how are the stocks doing?" Susanna Ester randomly asked the squirrel.

The cousins turned their gaze to their new acquaintance. They pondered an idea of what his occupation was, but his attire did not hint at anything specific. Because Susanna had asked about stocks, it was assumed that he worked at Turnip Stock Market Inc., a large corporation outside Veltron. The central office building was in the next town over and operated during the evening only, which was why they had probably yet to meet him beforehand.

"Oh, yes!" Vesta exclaimed. "You work at the turnip market! Now I remember. How _are_ they coming along? Dandy or lagging?"

"Is there really a use in asking?" Static replied in his deep voice. "It's the same thing every lousy day. I work and then check profiles. Eventually, I check the total investments and then prices. After I eat, I do the same thing again and again. When I realize that I've worked after my regular hours, I curse out loud a few hundred times and get on the train. I come home and go to sleep. Nothing's changed for ten years and nothing's gonna change anytime soon." There was a short silence. "But the stocks themselves are doing fine; knock on wood that they keep doing that." He moaned.

Susanna stood when Static finished speaking. "By the way, has anyone heard the latest news? Butch and Mable are dating!" The two snobs squealed at the sudden mention of gossip. "Isn't that totally awesome? There's _no chance_ that they're gonna get married—obviously, since, you know, Mable's got that mouth infection and all, but I'd bet they'd make a couple cute little mixed-breeds of dogs and hedgehogs popping up and playing hopscotch sooner or later." Mathilda and Susanna laughed uncontrollably as their guests quietly continued consuming their food.

"_On a different topic...!_" Vesta attempted to include everybody in one conversation, but the snobs were making this difficult. "I heard that the bakery is undergoing renovation. It seems the owner finally has enough cash, and the walls are falling down. It's probably very nasty in there, although I'm sure it will be lovely when it's finished! If I were Sandy, I'd have called someone to repair the place ages ago. But seeing how she's only got the money now... yes, she'll do fine after reopening. It can't just fall apart now."

Olive chewed on a piece of roast beef and swallowed rapidly. "Who's Sandy? Is she the ostrich who owns the bakery?"

"Yes," Dizzy answered. "She can drive animals crazy, but at heart she's—"

"A total bitch!" Mathilda interrupted. "A fat, stupid bitch!" She laughed with Susanna again, after which Vesta's level of frustration began to increase. As they continued to soak themselves with hearsay and rumours, the others looked at each other and communicated through emotions and lip-reading. For another ten minutes the snobs gossiped about the village's residents.

Finally, and as they settled down, Penny rose from her chair and informed the group that she was going to use the restroom. She ran off.

Mathilda winked at Susanna when Penny exited the room. The pig returned her wink and started flicking her tongue about. They both chuckled and rose from their seats again, which vexed Vesta heavily because she was growing tired of the tittle-tattle. Mathilda shouted, "T-Bone is prepared to ask Phyllis out on a date! _How dreadful!_ What would happen if Pete found out about this? Just imagine the trouble that T-Bone would be in... oh, that pitiful soul. He'd die on the spot!" They laughed.

Susanna added, "What a depressing funeral we'd be forced to attend, that is, if the village bothers to hold one for him. What did he accomplish in his lifetime? Well, he's still alive, but in a way it's not for any particular reason. Why would he _consider_ asking out Phyllis when her and Pete have been involved with each other for such a long time? The nerve of that idiot!" She laughed hysterically and Mathilda followed and waved her arms about.

All the animals sighed unanimously without either the kangaroo or pig realizing this. The cousins were not used to having dinner with high-class ladies that enjoyed bullying their neighbours verbally. Cheri was playing with her mashed potatoes and was unsure if she still had an appetite. All she wanted to do was listen to the tall-tales the snobs had and verify if any were accurate or utter nonsense. It was not long before Static struck up a separate-noted discussion, to the relief of the cousins and their friends.

"Thank you for dinner!" the squirrel commented. "It was absolutely splendid and better than good; I like nothing other than good food... and sleep," he added, trying to sound polite, though he knew that he was exhausted. "I can't wait to enjoy whatever the desert platter is. But I think the majority of us already know since the scent is heavenly. More than just that, actually." He smiled and retrieved the pumpkin pies from the kitchen.

"Well... you're very welcome and thank you very much!" Mathilda exclaimed after he placed them on the table.

Penny returned and was waving her arms in the air. "Your sink is nice, Mathilda. The pink colouring adds to the room's context." As she pulled out her chair to sit down, Susanna ran behind her and moved the chair upward. This movement caused Penny to fly from the seat and into the wall near Mathilda's chair. She hit her head on it and collapsed to the ground in pain.

Olive rose from her seat and shouted at Susanna, "What the hell did you just do? How the _fu_—_fudge_ did she get all the way _over there?_" The bear pointed at the wall with her face flushed. It was rare that Olive developed a strong sense of anger. Readying herself to assist Penny, she moved toward the mouse and asked her if she was all right along the way. When she arrived at her side, she awaited the answer that Susanna would supply her with.

Laughter. Mathilda laughed almost instantly too.

"You bitch! How dare you!" Cupcake cried. She too got out of her seat and faced Mathilda. Cheri did not want to start a commotion, but she knew that they had already passed the point of no return. Cupcake continued, "Here's something funny that's gonna happen tonight. Right after I deliver this lecture to you, you're going to tell us what you used to initiate such a..." Her voice trailed off. She looked at Susanna, who was holding an electronic airplane.

Cupcake was mortified. "You know what? Screw the lecture and let's get to the point! You want something funny to happen tonight? I'll give you something funny: here it is." The bear picked up one of the pies and threw it at Mathilda's face. It hit her viciously and she released an ear-piercing screech. Susanna stood in amazement.

Olive was unsure of what to do and quickly ran to the front door. Because she had no intention in becoming involved, Cheri also made her way to the front door. Both bears helped Penny and put her jacket around her arms. They opened the door and made their way outside, but stopped and turned to see the developing disaster indoors.

Susanna Ester yelled loudly at the sight of her best friend. "_Mathilda! Are you okay?_" She ran over to the kangaroo, who muttered a faint "ugh". This alarmed the pig greatly and she turned to see the remaining animals in the house: Cupcake, Dizzy, Static and Vesta. Unimpressed with Cupcake's actions, she pointed at her, bellowing, "You have made a fool of Mathilda! You have made a fool of me! Cupcake, you will pay!"

Rubbing the whipped cream from her eyes, Mathidla grunted. "Get these inferior things out of the house! Get everybody out of this house _now!_ This dinner is absolutely over! Next year, there's only gonna be you and me, Susanna. We'll have an excellent time without these pesky jackasses! _Get rid of them!_" She attempted to stand.

Cupcake, Dizzy and Vesta ran from the house before Mathilda finished speaking. Only Static remained to help his friend.

"I can't believe that they did this to you," he said in an uplifting tone. "I'll get them. Those boys and girls are going to pay for their insolence. They don't go around hurting animals for no reason! That is just wrong! The next time I seem them, there will be pain and tears. There will be skin... and blood! I promise that they're going to get it, Mathilda, I really do!" Susanna helped her friend off the floor and they began cleaning up the house.

Cheri, Olive and Penny had arrived at Acre F-3. The time was 9:00 PM and the lighthouse was shining brightly. The girls sat at the edge of the water and tried to forget what had happened. The past five minutes elapsed speedily and there was no sign of the others.

"Will they find us here?" Penny was worried and asked the question several times over.

"It's not likely," Cheri responded. "That's seriously the last thing we would want now and likely something they're not going to bother with. Where are Cupcake and Dizzy? Where's Vesta? You could say that our cousin revealed a darker side of herself tonight. She's never thrown a pumpkin pie at someone before. Hell, a pie in general. It's interesting."

The wind was crisp, but growing colder by the minute, even for an early June evening.

"They tried to stand up for Penny," Olive said. "I wonder... Cupcake's let her fury escalate and I've never seen that before. If Mathilda and Susanna Ester accepted Penny as a worthy animal, then it looks like that honour may have just been broken. I can't imagine the kind of rejection they'd try and place on her shoulders. There'd be tragedy and horror and... all of the above."

Five minutes later, footsteps could be heard behind the three women. Cupcake, Dizzy and Vesta revealed themselves from the shadows and came to a halt when they noticed the bears and mouse. They all gave each other hugs and started socializing. None of them could believe what had just happened, and Vesta above the rest was incredibly disappointed with herself, citing her temper as the primary reason. Penny was merely glad that she had not been injured in any way possible from the electronic airplane.

"I don't want to return to that house again. I don't want to see Mathilda's face again. _Ever!_" Penny said.

Everybody gave her a hug. The night had been long.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: This is the longest chapter I've included in one of my stories. It reaches over 6000 words! Woo! Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed my take on the definition of "drama" and the next chapter will be posted soon. I hope you liked it!


	11. Torches

**COUSINS  
Chapter 11: Torches  
**

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It appeared as though a dark presence was haunting the beach that night. Cheri, Olive and Cupcake heard indescribable noises coming from the distance and the grass was cold as a long winter's evening. With every minute that passed, the moon floated higher into the sky, which worried some of the animals until Dizzy explained that it was undergoing its traditional cycle. He substituted the sun as an example for the sake of better reception and understanding. All the girls unanimously laughed at his lesson, but it had indeed made sense.

The water was equally cold as the grass. Olive placed her hand in the rushing substance that was the ocean and instantly pulled it out. Its temperature likely matched the average it had hovered around in late April or early May, and she figured that it would have been as frigid if was daytime. Olive desperately wanted to swim and she was wondering if she still cared about how cold the water was.

"Let's walk over to Acre F-4. At least Penny will get home safely and soundly," Cheri said as she tried to breathe. "It would be for the very best. We wouldn't want her to get hurt since she's already been a bit bruised up." She choked on her last sentence.

Everybody agreed rapidly. They scurried to Penny's house intently and did not look back. As the mouse's house came into view, T-Bone's did as well. His lights were not on, leading the large group of animals to assume that he had gone to sleep, also because he was an early-riser. Penny sprinted forward and ran up to her door, which she swiftly unlocked. Her attention returned to her friends and she cautioned their entrance, fear obvious in her vocal tone.

Many of Penny's friends had yet to visit her house because she did not have a welcoming interior. She never told them this, but indicated it often. Her wallpaper was tearing and she attempted to repair it by splashing grey paint all over it, but its condition worsened as a result. The carpeting was steel and she had a modern bed resting in the house's bottom-left corner, while a desk sat at the northern end. There was a lot of paper on it. Two garbage cans were in the bottom-right corner of the house and a dying cactus sat in the top-right corner. Penny's life consisted of very few pieces of furniture in a relatively small house. There was not even a restroom.

"Oh... my..." Cupcake mumbled, stunned by what she was looking at. She was surprised. "You live in this little… _shack? _You could have asked some of us for help with money or something. After all, that's what neighbours are for, right? How could you live in such an unfortunate state?"

There was a momentary silence until Penny began speaking: "I have always loathed Veltron. Yes, that's right. From the day that I moved here, my life changed into something very puzzling. My loan was so high that I thought I'd be arrested for never paying the entire thing back. Since then, my room has had almost no furniture, and... at this point... I don't think I'm going to own anymore. It's very pitiful, I already know this. I'm worthless from head to toe and I can't fix a single aspect of it."

Vesta stepped forward. "I'll help you," she said. "Listen, I know you want to be able to do this on your own, but you've been crying. You're upset. You can't say that you don't want anybody's help, because I know you do. I know you want our help. I'm going to donate a solid... how does one-fifty grand sound? If you've got more of a loan, I'd be pleased as punch to help you erase more unwanted numbers. Hopefully it's around my total offering though. If it is, then there won't be much trouble, but if your loan is higher... well, I'll offer more!" The sheep chuckled. "You need the help, you do."

Penny sighed. She knew the animals were trying to help her, but she was uncertain. She sighed again and responded, "I need to think. My head has been played with so much lately that I can't seem to juxtapose the events. _It's totally nonsensical!_" She put great emphasis on her latter sentence, releasing another sigh and waving her hands about randomly.

All three cousins were mortified to discover that Penny had been living in a clustered house. Especially Cupcake. She could not grasp the concept of her friend ranking lowly on the social ladder, one whom had been overly kind, but lacked the appropriate funds to take care of herself. The pink bear shouted loudly and ran outdoors, retracing her trail halfway back to Mathilda's residence.

"We need to do something about this!" Cheri exclaimed, stomping her feet to attract everybody's attention. "Like, maybe we could donate some of our furniture to Penny? Or perhaps just come in and clean the place up for her? Wait! ...This pathetic steel floor should be replaced"—she jumped several times to overemphasize her suggestion—"and the wall needs to be fixed. I mean, who wants to live in such a dwelling? It's scandalous."

Vesta looked at the ceiling. "The ceiling fan is not preferable. A chandelier should replace it because they emit great sources of light. If not, a friendlier ceiling fan would be appropriate, if you catch my drift. There has to be something to brighten this already-dark presence in the house. A happier emotion!" The sheep looked at Olive. "A thumbs-up to the creation of unreal, but vital furnishings."

Olive nodded passionately.

Penny sighed once again. "Thank you. Since you won't allow me to protest, I guess I'll take your offer. To be bluntly honest, I could use a _different house_ instead of this small hole-in-the-wall. I hate it a lot. But I'm sure you guys already knew that. Do what you want with it and I'll just accept the remodel for what it is. You're doing so much for me already." She laughed for the first time in a long while.

Cupcake was alone outside. She was sitting on the sand, watching the water repeatedly tickle her feet. The moon was shining beautifully that evening and it was beginning to descend over the horizon. Its glittering cream-flavoured display drowned the village in an amorous touch, the effect resembling a winter snowstorm in June. Cupcake thought it was dazzling, but the bear still would not permit herself to understand Penny's undesirable living situation. She had not asked for any help and those actions confused Cupcake more than any others had. Anger was occupying her face, burning her eyelashes and colouring her appearance deep red, similar to lava.

"I think I understand."

Olive sat down next to her cousin, who was startled by her abrupt emergence. They looked at each other in the eyes briefly before Olive sighed. "Cupcake, listen, you... you've always been one to find specific details difficult to accept, and, well, I respect that decision you tend to make." A sharp wind passed by, sending an extremely bitter chill up her spine, at which she shivered.

Another wind passed. "Sometimes you've got to suffer, that's what I've learned," Cupcake whispered, then rising her pitch by an octave. "Sometimes you've got to cry, which I've also learned. Finally, the last thing I've learned while living out here with you and Cheri is sometimes you've just got to open up wide. If I do that, there's nothing that can bring me down. I'm going to try to ignore Penny's struggle and view her as the mouse she was yesterday." Cupcake yawned, somewhat exhausted from the day's events.

"We all need to do something different once in a while," Olive said as she ascended from the ground. "If you want, you can come back. I do believe you've had the time to think about what you're going to accept and not. We're moving to Acre F-5—that's the dock, if you've forgotten—because according to _Country Tribune_, it's the town's best fishing location. Come on, let's go!" Olive returned to Penny's house, leaving Cupcake sitting in the sand, her eyes as large as volleyballs.

Later that evening, the animals started fishing at the dock. It was the most south-eastern acre in Veltron, and surprisingly not owned by Tom Nook or the government, but instead by a handful of fishermen that resided elsewhere, most likely on the island in the ocean. They had used the dock more than any inhabitant of Veltron. Because it was an impressive fishing area with many aquatic nutrients, the sea bass and red snappers were easiest to hook and collectively the animals caught twelve fish. The majority were sea bass, but this was expectant considering their massive population.

At 10:30, Vesta had fallen asleep on her fishing pole. Her early-to-bed schedule was contributing to this and she was prepared to hit the cold grass, from which Cheri saved her. The red bear looked at the others, holding Vesta, who was sound asleep. "Do you think we should move Vesta back to her house?" she questioned. "Leaving her here wouldn't be the wisest idea, would it?" She deeply breathed in the evening's fresh air and exhaled.

"Yes, that would be a good plan," Olive cried, dropping her pole and rushing over to her friend. She began acting immaturely. "Hello in there? Is anybody home? No?" She tapped on Vesta's head and giggled slightly. "Well then, I suppose we can move your precious, one-million Bell estate home! This means you will never see it again! Everybody, let's rob this innocent creature of her possessions!" The bear howled uproariously, which was followed by a mutant-like growl. Vesta awoke within seconds from these noises and emancipated an ear-splitting scream. After discovering she was still at the beach, Vesta stuck her tongue at them and bid them all a goodnight. The sheep began the short trek home.

Cheri eyed Olive suspiciously. "Olive, why did you do that? I mean, it might have been funny and whatnot, but..." Suddenly, the red bear was unable to control her wit and she burst into a blanket of laughter, her relative standing aloof at this alertness. Cupcake turned to see what was so amusing, but she brushed off Cheri's laughter because it sounded awkwardly daunting.

"You know, I don't like fishing!" Penny confessed after Cheri had settled down. "All it does is leave a pain in your back. And because of my body structure, I always end up ordering those stupid prescription pills from Tom Nook's. It seems that I'm always the one being obliterated..." Her eyes closed and she spoke softly to herself. "I could never leave Veltron, no matter what, even though deep inside I really want to. I've grown too attached to this village. I guess you'd try to stop me anyway, right?" She was referring to everybody fishing around her, but when she did not receive a response, she opened her eyes to find that they were involved in an intricate discussion concerning the approaching fireworks show, being touted as the "year's best".

"Oh, _fine!_" Penny cried. "Just let what I say flow right through your ears. That has never been a problem with me." Sarcasm filled her voice, along with aggravation. She paused hesitantly. "Perhaps leaving is the only way out... from this hellhole of a town." She decided to rest on her laurels.

It was 11:00 PM.

"All right, then," Olive moaned, lifting herself off the ground. "Come, girls, I'm getting sleepy. It's definitely time to go home. Tell me you don't want to sit out here all night staring at your fishing line? Only Dizzy has had some amazing catches and Vesta reeled in a few when she was still here. Come on, let's go!" The bear began hiking back to their house, which was not significantly far. Cheri and Cupcake said they would catch up to her.

A minute later, thunder growled furiously, shaking the ears of the animals still at the dock. At this point, the four remaining animals knew it was time toe head home. Cheri and Cupcake wished their friends a goodnight and turned in the direction of their house, departing quickly so that they were not caught in the forthcoming rainstorm.

Suddenly, Penny screamed, "_Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Help, help, help!_"

The two bears looked back to see what the mouse's sudden commotion was. They were alarmed by what they were staring at.

One of the trees had caught fire. The lightning had struck one of Veltron's tallest trees—as it began to produce a larger flame, thunder was bellowing in the distance. It had starting raining following the thunder.

"Wait, what in the world are you doing, Penny?" Cheri shouted at the house, who was being drawn to the flames that filled the smoldering tree. "If you want to die, just keep walking! Penny, Penny, Penny! What are you doing? Turn and run like a mad horse! Hurry! ...Wait, wouldn't that be old lady Cleo or somebody like that? Does Cleo run fast?"

Cupcake slapped Cheri across the face. "Does this look like the time to be joking around? That tree is on fire and—" She went speechless. The spectacle in front of her feet was the most unbelievable she had set her eyes on in her entire life. Was this really happening or was she living a nightmare?

Penny had picked up a branch that fell from the still-burning free. She had begun frantically chasing Dizzy, attempting to throw the charred thing at him. The elephant was running like a shot, shouting and provoking threats if the ginger fiery touched his chest or trunk. Penny was against what she had explicitly called "nonsense", failing to acknowledge her friend's words. She continued chasing him, laughing like a monster while she ran.

"...Oh, I ca-can't m-move," Cupcake stammered, clutching her heart forcefully. She was exuding nervous pants. "Oh, why can't I move my feet?" Her voice gradually rose with every word she said. "Has... has everything gotten to Penny? What's happened to her? Has she sincerely become this insane?"

Then it happened. The mouse threw the branch at Dizzy.

And it hit him.

Releasing a shriek as deafening as an earthquake, the elephant plummeted into the ocean, while the two bears screeched at the top of their lungs. Penny turned to them next and shouted, "There's no way that you're going to get away either! I promise both of you that your deaths will be as painful, if not more!" However, the flames on the tree had been extinguished by the pouring rain, which was falling rapidly.

"_Perfect!_" Cheri cried mysteriously, not necessarily afraid, but thankful. She had no idea what she was doing, blaming her adrenaline for sending her into the ocean as she began to search for Dizzy, who was not a particularly strong swimmer. She called his name. This left Cupcake standing alone face-to-face with Penny, the mouse who used to be one of her best friends. Giving her a dirty look, the pink bear moved back. She was ready to scream at her, but it seemed that the mouse read her mind. Penny whispered a series of words under her breath and Cupcake continued to move back.

"Oh, he never did anything to me!" she cried without warning. "It's just that you are right, Cupcake. My life is a mistake. Tom Nook, Mathilda, Susanna Ester, T-Bone, everybody. You're all nothing but worthless puppets in this game, and you have never been able to get away or get out. I wish that you would just hang yourself. Do us all that favour, won't you?"

Lightning flashed, this time closer to Veltron.

Breathing was becoming difficult for Cupcake, and her fear of retreating home was strengthening. She was afraid to see Penny jumping out and attacking her, which would likely lead to an unsuccessful safe escape. Perhaps because she was worrying herself, Cupcake tripped over a knee-level rock, and collapsed, hitting her head on the granite. She screamed and buried her face in the grass.

At that very moment, Cheri put her hands on Cupcake. Dizzy was resting on her shoulders. He had fainted. "Cupcake! Cupcake! Oh, Cupcake! You have got to get up! It will be too tricky for me to try and carry both of you! _Please, Cupcake, please! Get up!_"

Cupcake slowly turned to see the tears resting in her cousin's eyes. She was risking her life to rescue a friend who was possibly dead. There was the possibility that all of them were going to meet a devastating end if she did not pick herself up and run. With all the belief and strength she still had, Cupcake lifted herself off the ground moments before Penny had readied herself to throw a moderately-sized rock at her.

Both bears ran so fast that they could not see the rain falling in front of them. They located their house seconds afterward and knocked on the door excessively. They were nervous and began assuming that Olive was not going to answer the door, which would give Penny time to follow and likely attack them. They grey bear answered the door only seconds later, but it felt as though an eternity had passed. Penny had chased them to their house as they had expected—her feet carried her very quickly across Veltron that they ended up slamming the door in her face. Cheri collapsed on the floor and Cupcake sat on a kitchen chair, out of breath. Olive was incredibly confused and her facial expressions let them know this.

"Uh, what's this about?" Olive asked, rubbing her eyes.

Cupcake gasped for air. "Don't open the door, Olive! _Do not _open it! Something has gone wrong with Penny. Just do me one small favour: lock all the doors and windows. And before you ask why… _just do it! Hurry!_ I'll explain when there's time."

Olive obeyed her cousin's orders, quickly locking the front door and all the windows.

At the same time, Cupcake moved to place Cheri—who had passed out on the floor—to her bed. Dizzy was placed on her own bed because she did not want to catch a cold or intimidate Olive by putting him on hers. The fire could have severely injured the elephant and Cupcake inspected him several times over. She even retrieved the first-aid kit to see if she could possibly put it to good use.

"I just... don't understand," Olive whispered when Cupcake had settled down. She read the clock—quarter to midnight. Her glance refocused on her cousin. "Cupcake, I don't understand what you're talking about. Did Penny really throw an ignited branch at Dizzy? To me that sounds almost preposterous! Why would one of our closest friends try to hurt one of her closest friends?" Tears formed in her eyes.

Cupcake responded unsurely, "Reality could be striking Penny in the face."

"You mean..." Olive paused, searching for the right words. "Are you saying that Penny has actually started facing reality, like, personally? She's trying to accept all the things she doesn't want to... her bodacious attempt at destroying that horrible debt of hers." She paused again, this time more solemnly. "There is no reason why she should have taken all of it out on Dizzy! Does she realize he could have been injured and possibly killed? _Killed_, I tell you!"

While rubbing a cold cloth over a bump on Cheri's head, Cupcake sighed. "You're right. You're absolutely right. We have to tell Officer Copper about this heinous crime. I'm not going to let that rat get away with this! Her actions were foolish—one will not solve anything by trying to take the life of their friend. If anything, she might be emotionally corrupted. Come dawn, the police will be notified immediately. I trust you have no objections, Olive? Are we agreeing on this?"

The grey bear nodded. "Yes. I'm not going to just sit here. Penny is in trouble for this."

Cupcake flicked her hair. "You stupid mouse!" she screamed. _"Stupid, stupid, stupid mouse! _You don't know what I want to do to her—_that stupid mouse! _When Cheri and Dizzy come around, bless their souls, I am going directly to Officer Copper and Lieutenant Booker! Oh, I am _so_ full of repulsion! You just wait, Penny! _You just wait!_"

The rain had finally lifted.


	12. Unpredictable Uproar

**COUSINS  
****Chapter 12: Unpredictable Uproar**

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Penny was arrested the next morning.

It was 5:45 AM when the audacious Olive ran from her house to the police station, her heart pumping at expeditious speeds. Luckily, the bear arrived at the law enforcement headquarters as right as rain. She entered the building to be greeted by Lieutenant Booker, whom was rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Sir! Sir! I need to report a crime!" the bear blurted out, unable to control her rising voice. "Last night a friend of mine was attacked on the shore and severely burned. The animal who threw the ignited branch at him…" Her voice trailed off. Cupcake should have come; she knew the details.

The dog looked at Olive, his eyes narrow. "Hold up a sec!" he exclaimed, waving his hands in front of his face. "You speak too damn fast. You're saying that a friend of yours was critically burned last night and that you know who the persecutor is?"

Olive nodded, gasping for air.

"Well then," Booker mumbled. He clasped his hands. "It seems"—he paused, pulling his voice up to the appropriate volume—"I'm actually quite baffled. An incident like this has not occurred in Veltron since the murder of Rolf J.V., the military commander… and that was nearly six years ago." Shaking his head, the dog returned his gaze to Olive. "I hate it when this happens. Please lead me to your residence. Immediately."

Complying, Olive lead the lieutenant back to her house. Penny was not anywhere in sight and she didn't jump out of the bushes, which made it a safe trek to and from the police station. They entered the house at 6:00 AM.

Booker told Cupcake to escort the still-fainted Cheri and Dizzy to Punchy's house. The cat was an almost-expert on first-aid and medicine-related topics. He would be able to assist the animals. "I will stay here and contact Nookington's, the Able Sisters, the Post Office and the Museum," the police dog continued. "If at any time you encounter other citizens, please inform them of this outrageous problem. Thank you very much. The lives of the residents are one of the top five priorities."

As the sun continued to rise, Olive and Cupcake found Vesta watering a neighbour's flowers and explained the situation to her. The cousins were surprised to find Susanna Ester awake so early, but did not deny her the right to know about the crime that had been committed. Both were alarmed, especially Vesta. She began to complain about returning home early on in the night and regretted falling asleep on the grass. Her eyes were fixed to Dizzy's wounds.

"Yes? Good morning?" Punchy was confused to see animals on his doorstep. He scratched his forehead. He was still half-asleep. "Cupcake, could you tell me why you've woken me at such an ungodly hour? Unless you've got one hell of a good reason, I'll kill you. I swear."

Grinning an artificial toothy smile, Cupcake explained the situation to the cat, and entered his house. Exhausted from the amount of weight she had been carrying, Cupcake nearly dropped Cheri and Dizzy on the floor, stumbling multiple times. Punchy quickly helped her.

"The morning has been moving fast!" Cupcake cried. "It's not even 7:00 AM yet. And look, I'm already at one of my friend's houses." She turned to look at Punchy's questionable stare. "I am really sorry to bother you this early Punchy, but it was police orders to bring you here. If you cannot help then Cheri and Dizzy might die. There was—"

The cat put his hands in the air. "Whoa, whoa, _what? _What do you mean they could be _dead?_" He was astonished. "What happened? I have been friends with Dizzy for five years and suddenly the new girl runs into my house and drops him on the floor! Additionally, she's got her cousin in what looks like serious pain too. _Well? What happened?_"

"If you had given me the opportunity to complete my sentence, perhaps you wouldn't have freaked out the way you just did." Cupcake rolled her eyes. "Listen to me here. I said that it was police—Lieutenant Booker's—orders to bring them here. There was an accident last night that almost resulted in Dizzy's death, but it seems as though he's alive and okay. That's for now. You see, Booker told me that you attained some knowledge over the years... that's concerning first-aid and medicine. I beg you, with all my heart, to please save my cousin and our friend. It would be mortifying to watch them go without any care. _Please!_"

Punchy moved to the kitchen counter. He poured himself a cup of steaming tea. "Well, that's brought us to sort of a pickle. I'm practically speechless." The cat was at a loss for words and was unsure of what to say. "Um, the last time I attempted to save someone's life, it went poorly. It was very bad. I thought I took the animal's life as a result of my actions. They said I wasn't too blame, but... I'm afraid Cheri and Dizzy will pay the price." He let out an exaggerated yawn. "I'm not going to do it. You can persuade me, but I won't. I can't see another person die because of my method." He turned to face the wall and breathed heavily.

Cupcake closed her eyes. "So you would rather let one of your best friends die here in your living room?" She opened them and tears started forming. "You would let my cousin, who's like me younger sister, decease because you were too much of a coward? What kind of an animal allows himself to be beaten by his former mistakes? What kind of an animal are you?" She began gasping and exited his house. She screamed.

Alarmed by her unexpected departure, Punchy ran to the door and hollered, "_No!_ Cupcake, _come back_, please! ...I didn't mean to." He hung his head miserably. Why didn't he just accept the task of trying to help the animals? He didn't know the story behind their wounds and yet he couldn't control his grip. After realizing he had left Cupcake heart-broken, he turned to see Cheri and Dizzy lying on the floor. It looked like they were merely sleeping. But were they?

"I suppose I'm going to try. She is right, after all. Why would I dwell on the past and the things I did wrong so long ago? ...And why would I let one of my friends die?" He prayed for courage and strength and walked over to a small red cabinet. He opened it and picked up a jar with a white "x" on it. The weight of the world was on his shoulders.

By 1:30 PM, the entire village had become aware of Penny's "attempt at murder". Old lay Cleo was shocked to her blood vessels, as she had put it, while the Able Sisters and Tom Nook could hardly believe that one of their best customers had gone and committed a terrible crime. Even Phyllis, the uncaring evening postal worker pitied the mouse while sighing sympathetically over Cheri and Dizzy. Most of the other animals were not interested in making conversation with Penny and avoided her house intentionally. The train station had been locked up for the first time in over three years to ensure Penny would not make a successful escape from the village. The same situation occurred at the Veltron dock, which angered Butch because he was ready to enjoy an afternoon at sea. He had to cancel his plans and closed the marina.

Cupcake snitched on Punchy for rejecting the orders to help Cheri and Dizzy. She made the situation seem overly dramatic and Lieutenant Booker and Officer Copper were escorted to his house. He was going to be arrested for resisting the law, but upon arrival, the three animals were shocked; Cheri and Dizzy were awake and resting on Punchy's couch. They were watching TV. The cat crawled over to the officers and Cupcake and apologized for his inconvenience. He explained that he had been unable to perform the method he had used years before, which was his excuse for originally not trying to help. With some new materials, however, he successfully saved Cheri and Dizzy, who were excited to see Cupcake. It was the most excited Cheri and Cupcake had been since graduation.

Every commercial establishment closed by 8:00 PM that evening. At 9:00 PM, a knock came on the cousins door. Olive answered it to find Copper there.

"Good evening, Olive. I know you have had a difficult day and Lieutenant Booker insisted that I protect your dwelling this fine evening. My presence will hopefully be useful to you and your cousins and incase anything funny transpires, it will be under my nose." Olive nodded at the police dog. She motioned for him to continue. "You need not worry about Dizzy. He has been taken to a medical clinic for inspection and the doctor says that he should be all right. Booker will be watching him after he returns, which should be shortly, I expect. And believe it or not, we have T-Bone patrolling a couple of the residents. He volunteered to do the time, evidently."

"Wasn't he... arrested, officer?" Olive questioned.

Copper smacked his forehead. "Yes, I sort of used that term in an inappropriate juncture. My apologies. What I meant to say was that he volunteered to devote his own time to shielding the residents of Veltron." He let out an awkward chuckle. "Anyway, please do not worry yourselves. You will be fine."

"Devote? Patrolling? Shielding? Transpires?" Olive asked, her voice filled with perplexity. "Do you say anything original? It seems like you never use everyday, regular language. I've found talking to you to be quite a treat since we moved here. Not once have you said something as simple as, 'T-Bone is watching some of the town's residents' or, 'What I meant to say was that he volunteered to use his own time to protect Veltron's citizens'. It's always something exquisite. But I suppose that's why I like you, Officer Copper." She sighed. "But you don't need to speak like a perfectionist. It's like hearing a broken record in your sleep."

Copper laughed. He accepted her words as a graceful compliment and said, "Now then, I will patrol the grounds. It is likely that there will be no trouble since Penny's arrest was not a gruelling task. Afterwards, I hope you have a fine evening my lovely grey-furred friend."

"Patrol all you want!" Olive exclaimed. "But entrance is forbidden." She closed the door.

Cupcake was sitting in the living room chair. She crossed her arms. "...I don't feel comfortable with anybody in our house right now. Nor do I trust many of the animals in Veltron anymore. Vesta's a true friend, of course, but... Punchy didn't even want to revive you, Cheri. That's certainly not someone to turn to in dire situations, right?" She looked at her red cousin, who was finishing a word search from _Animal Weekly_ on the kitchen table. "He's not loyal enough to bother with."

Putting the pencil down, Cheri looked up at Cupcake. "I know. How many times must you ramble on about it? I don't want to interact with Punchy anymore too. He's hard to deal with. Just because he failed at one point in his career doesn't mean anything. It wasn't an outlook on what the result was today. His empathy was lost. What I can't believe is that he neglected to help Dizzy, someone he's been friends with for five years. That's a long time. He didn't want to help him either, the stupid fool." She looked down at the word search again.

Gazing out the living room window, Cupcake added, "He'd let this village suffer if the window of opportunity came."

Olive returned to the kitchen. "We've got Officer Copper outside," she said as she tied an apron around her waist. "He will be watching over us. He says while the security is top-notch here, there have been some issues before. There's nothing to worry about and we can go about our nightly routine. Is anybody in the mood for some cherry pie? Vesta gave me the most amazing ingredients." Her cousins nodded in agreement.

The night proceeded peacefully.

The next morning, Cupcake woke up at 6:30, two hours before her typical schedule. The fragrance of pansies and tulips were travelling through the open kitchen window. A hint of fresh pond water was flowing in too. The sun was rising over the horizon and the birds were flocking to the trees and sand on the beach, all singing the morning chorus. It looked like it was going to be an undeniably beautiful day.

When Olive woke up at 7:30, she found Cupcake baking cookies and pies. Three plates of two bacon-and-egg toasted-bread sandwiches were resting on the table. The bear almost drooled when she saw the delicacies, and rushed over to her seat.

"You always make the best food!" Olive cried, taking a bite into her sandwich. She startled Cupcake, who was rolling dough.

"Good morning to you too, Olive. I see you've found breakfast!" Cupcake said. "The cherry pie was so delicious last night that I decided to go ahead and prepare the food this morning. After all, it's not something I do too frequently." She laughed. "Enjoy it."

Nodding with big eyes, Olive responded, "I will. Hm, I just remembered that Officer Copper is somewhere outside. You know, the only good thing about him is that he's strong emotionally and mentally. A very intelligent police dog. But he doesn't pose a physical threat, to be honest!" She laughed and Cupcake followed.

Immediately after the girls stopped laughing, a rock the size of Olive's sandwich flew through the kitchen window and sent glass in every direction. Cupcake screeched at the top of her lungs and Copper came towards the house within seconds.

From the next acre Penny was throwing many random objects. The moment Copper saw her, he charged without hesitance and began to chase the rodent. The mouse started to scream as she began running from him. At the same time Cheri walked into the kitchen still half-asleep. She saw glass everywhere and couldn't believe her eyes. Was Penny so enraged that she wasn't going to leave them alone? Would she eternally wreak havoc upon them? With her the innocent had become the guilty.

"Oh, what the hell?" Cheri asked rhetorically. "Did Penny do this? Who does she think she is? I don't understand this! After she leaves one of the stupidest parties I've ever attended—which means that Mathilda and Susanna thought she was 'worthy'—she becomes the village's leading maniac! She cannot control herself anymore and it's because she's pissed that she'll be in debt forever! Now she's a wolf-hungry villain on the loose. Would you call this normal behaviour? Animals should not be releasing their anger like this! Penny is an idiotic and stupid animal who needs to perish from the world!" Cheri stomped on the carpet.

Olive shook her head, almost in tears. "I despise that mouse. If anything is going to happen to her—something will—I hope it's demanding and painful and full of hell." She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "We've been sitting here. Complaining. That's all we've been doing. As we do nothing, many residents are getting hurt because of this mouse's temper. This is where it is going to stop! Come on, we need to do something."

Shaking, Cupcake nodded. "Penny is in a lot of trouble." The bear laughed ruefully. "Too bad and so sad."

At around 12:30 PM on June 6, after countless residents were attacked by Penny, she was finally cornered by Lieutenant Booker, Officer Copper, T-Bone, Vesta, and Olive in a heavily-wooded section close to her house. She was arrested and taken to the law enforcement station immediately. Many of the other animals including Mathilda, Susanna Ester and Static were on-looking and watching as the situation was beginning to unfold.

"Never in my entire career has an animal committed such a... _despicable_ crime! For what reason would a large portion of the village have to chase after the persecutor?" Copper was speaking to Penny, but rose the volume of his voice for the townspeople to hear. "If anything is for certain, your life in Veltron has come to its end, yes, my dear." Both Booker and Copper entered the police station and informed Mayor Tortimer by telegram that Penny had been caught after already being arrested. Locals were prohibited entrance until Penny's sentence was inveterate.

Cheri, Olive, Cupcake, Dizzy, T-Bone, and Vesta stood in front of the police station; they eyed the structure and did not speak to each other. It wasn't until 4:00 PM that Booker exited the building. He waved his arms and began to explain what precautions would be taken.

"It has been many, many years since the town of Veltron has had to sentence an animal for committing felony. I know it's probably the one day of all your lives were the words "crime", "felony" and "punishment" have popped up the most. I do not blame you for having to hear these words, though. It was out of your reach. Pain has been caused throughout the thirty acres, and this kind of mischief will result in the following: on June 11 at the Wishing Well, Penny is going to be—and I mean this—executed altogether."

There was a gasp. A loud gasp.

"You plan on _executing that mouse?_" Cleo could be heard screaming from behind a few trees. "It's not like she murdered this animal-infested village! You can't execute her for spitting on a few rocks! Be reasonable, now! What about exiling her? Wouldn't that be a bit more levelheaded? _Honestly!_" The horse was unimpressed.

Dizzy supported the execution. The elephant constantly repeated "it's a good idea" to the village. Everybody knew why he was intent on going through with the execution and Cleo did not question him. It was almost as though he wanted to turn the bullet around and shoot it back at Penny, who had tried to take his life, but failed. Olive and Vesta had mixed feelings on the sentence and Cupcake was leaning towards supporting the execution; Penny could have gravely injured her that morning when she threw the rock through their kitchen window. Others debated about the sentence and whether it was appropriate or ridiculous.

Mathilda felt as though Penny's execution was a good idea; Susanna promptly agreed with her best friend. Static was unsure of himself.

"_Must you be so cruel?_" the Able Sisters cried. "This is nonsense on a new high! Please be more considerate!"

But there was no turning back. The officers and mayor had made their decision and Penny was going to be executed in five days. Some animals continued to protest the execution, but most were pleased and returned home. Eventually, Tom Nook was called to help remove the animals from the area and return them home. Others began asking what the future of Veltron would be like if minor felonies resulted in death. Nobody answered the questions and left them to remain sliding on the air.

Penny's fate had been determined.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: That's right, the drama continues to build up! Who knows if Penny really will lose her head. Influence may bring about a different path the mouse has to take. For now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and more is soon to come!


	13. Her Final Request

**COUSINS  
****Chapter 13: Her Final Request**

* * *

The next five days did not pass without pressure. It was some of the darkest days Veltron had seen in a long time. The Able Sisters were constantly attempting to halt the execution, but were unable to succeed. Cheri, Olive and Cupcake were able to enjoy five days without Penny bothering them and this was pleasing. T-Bone and Vesta visited daily and brought them fruits and vegetables. Cupcake occasionally cooked for all of them.

The morning of the 11th was sunny. The sky was partly cloudy. It was 6:00 AM and Punchy was looking out his front window and admiring the view down by the beach. "This is so... stupid!" he screamed. "If I had been able to cure Cheri and Dizzy after failing numerous times before, why isn't there anything I can do to stop this? But that's saving, not curing. Should it matter? Why don't I have a say in any of this?" He sighed angrily.

As if coincidental, the weather agreed with everybody's mood; most were tired, but some were looking forward to the event that would likely become a part of Veltron history. The grass was soggy and flowers were withering in the sunlight. The animals didn't understand why this was, especially since it had rained regularly with little issue.

By 8:00 AM, there were already six animals at the Wishing Well: the Able Sisters, Mathilda, Susanna, Static, and T-Bone. Most would arrive within the next hour since they didn't want to miss the event. One animal referred to the execution as "a lightly-taken reminder that justice is still justice; nobody is exempt in the game of life" and while most agreed, some questioned whether Penny felt the same way. She had poisoned her life.

Cheri, Olive and Cupcake had woken up at 8:00 that morning, unusually late for two and early for one. They didn't begin eating breakfast—a half-eaten peach pizza from the night before—until 9:00. There was no discussion and the only sound was the ticking of the clock. Cheri was upset from the past week's incident and Olive was thinking about how the day was going to turn out; was Penny really going to be dead by its end? Cupcake continued to assume what would have happened if Penny successfully killed her when the rock destroyed the kitchen's window. Would her cousins have moved home?

It wasn't until later that morning when Olive asked, "Are we really going to watch Penny die?" She poured the remainder of her coffee in the sink. She wasn't thirsty. "I don't want to face her and then wonder about this whole ordeal until I die. At least if we don't go, it won't be as bad... right?" She put her hands on the counter and turned to look at the other bears, who were still sitting at the table with their coffee mugs. Neither one answered. "Well it's your choice. I hope you make the best one now."

As Olive was about to sit down, Cheri over exaggerated a sneeze. "Then don't come! That's fine by me!"

"You're just saying that because Penny beat the shit out of you and our friend!" Cupcake exclaimed. She eyed Cheri. "Why don't you have any sympathy for the little rodent? She might be one of the ghosts of your life, but even if she's a massive bitch, you can't simply remember her as the one responsible for your fainting. And I can't remember her only as the mouse who busted the kitchen window, which could have seriously hurt me. What about Violet Meadows? That was a flabbergasting experience! Cheri, what surprises me is that you didn't go back there since our visit. And you're the one who loved it so much. Could you tell us why?" She folded her arms.

Shrugging, Cheri replied, "It couldn't be bothered. It's not a big deal, anyway. Penny showed it to us, which means that I've got no loyalty for that place anymore. In my book of life, when you lose somebody's loyalty, everything goes downhill from there." She rose from her seat and walked towards the bathroom; she was completely disgusted with the mouse she was talking about.

Olive slid into her seat. "Will Cheri learn? What does loyalty have to do with an animal's death? Can I go over to her and punch her, Cupcake?"

Smirking, the elder cousin replied, "You do that and you might not see colours ever again."

"Whatever..."

---

The town bell rang. It was 11:00 AM.

The Wishing Well was filled with the village's residents. The ceremony would not begin until noon, but all the animals had arrived early. Cheri and Dizzy were there chanting with the supporters of Penny's death, but there were still four that had yet to arrive: Olive, Cupcake, T-Bone, and strangely enough, Pelly, the daytime postal worker. The four were having a conversation underneath a tree near the dock.

"This is where Dizzy was burned last week, I see," Pelly commented. She walked around the tree several times and looked at the burnt branches. Patches of grass were brown. "I suppose we could look at it like this: Penny's punishment is basically what she asked for—not once in my life did I have to see a living creature suffer an emotional breakdown. I don't kid you either. This is the first—and hopefully the last—time any of us have to endure such terror. Penny is the epitome of terror." Pelly touched the tree and rubbed her wing on it. It was smooth, yet exuded an unpleasant aura.

Cupcake wiped the gathering tears from her eyes. "You can't say that. That mouse was doing what she couldn't control. If I were you Pelly, and had been living in debt for all those years, then I too would have probably imploded along the way. So many people break down and whine about the mess they'd created. That's just my theory, of course. Please don't take it literally." She laughed and turned away from Pelly, who pretended to ignore her. "There's a chance I'm going to miss Penny. I don't know whether I'll regret saying that now or later."

Pelly's frown faded and a smile came to her face. "Maybe I'll miss her as well."

Time continued to pass. Not one second passed without anxiousness. There was no sign of comfort or pleasure at the Wishing Well. Everybody was scared for the afternoon. Typically, before an animal was executed, they would be allowed one last opportunity to speak their feelings to the village and what they did or didn't achieve in life. Officer Copper was diligent with this, but most were curious to know how long Penny's speech would last or if she would make one at all—her life would end immediately following.

"Does anybody wanna predict what Penny's going to say before she's assassinated?" T-Bone said to himself. He hung his head in shame.

Olive and Cupcake looked at each other and then away from the emotionally-confused bull. They were unsure of a lot now, but Pelly offered them a short suggestion. The pelican said, "She is going to say sorry. She is going to say that she regrets what she has done this past week. She is going to say that she didn't mean to hurt Static at the dinner last week. Unfortunately, she will likely continue to loathe Mathilda and Sue E. since they never got along well. The one thing she is going to say and mean the most is that she never got to experience life without debt. The fragrance of a daisy without a price tag, the touch of the ocean waves without a pay cheque, and the pain of stubbing your toe without its repair fees. She did not have that chance. All she knew about was life in debt, and although she didn't get to live without worrying about her mortgages"—Olive found this entertaining—"she is going to say that everything was worth it in the long run. In my opinion... there should not be an execution. It is too much for something so small." Pelly stopped.

The wind began blowing. Cupcake looked at Pelly and said, "But she could have killed me. If that glass hit me, I could have been hurt badly."

Pelly nodded. "I understand. But were you hurt?"

The pink bear turned away. Beneath her breath she muttered, "No... thankfully." Suddenly, Cupcake began running in the direction of the Wishing Well. She didn't understand what force was taking her, but whatever it was, she was obeying it as it commanded her. It wasn't long before she reached the Wishing Well.

"Oh no!" T-Bone shouted. "Cupcake is gonna try and interfere with the ceremony! _Just brilliant!_" His voice indicated sarcasm. They chased after her.

It was 12:00 PM. A sharp, thick sound was emitted throughout the air. The townspeople covered their ears to block it out. This indicated that the execution was about to begin. The sound settled two minutes later to everyone's satisfaction.

An eight-metre fence was set up around the Wishing Well. There was a large stage resting beside the well itself. The Mayor had it constructed so that the execution looked more professional; he sadly admitted that Veltron was currently experiencing a money shortage and that they didn't have the appropriate funds to purchase a proper stage. The citizens didn't appear overly surprised. Lieutenant Booker and Officer Copper appeared on stage with the hand-cuffed Penny, who wore a depressed expression on her face. Her mouth was covered with a white bandana. A hush fell over the crowd as the two officers began speaking.

"I will not say the word 'never' since that would be a tremendous lie!" Copper exclaimed. He punched the tree that the Wishing Well was constructed on. He then turned to Penny and punched her in the shoulder. This caused her to fall down and she could be heard screaming beneath the bandana. The citizens were shocked and some, even Cleo, gasped at this. Booker grabbed Penny by the neck, pulling her up.

"This is Veltron's first criminal in six years. We will not discuss the infamous murder of Rolf J.V. and how he deceased. This execution is about a mouse who attempted to demolish our innocent village!" Booker roared. "Today, on June 11, this rodent will be put to death. I presume you figured that there would be a hanging today, yes? Of course you did. Who wouldn't? That is what happened with Rolf J.V.'s murder. Alas, we do not want to repeat offenses; today is going to be different. There will not be a hanging and instead we are going to drown Penny—my personal favourite, if I might add."

Chaos emerged amongst the crowd and animals started screaming profanity and different comments at the law enforcement officers. Mathilda too was shocked and shouted, "You want to drown the girl? You can't do that because it's _inhumane!_ That's like taking a fish out of its bowl and throwing it to the floor! You imbeciles! _Release that mouse and return her home this instant!_ You heard me, let her _go!_"

As the commotion continued, Cupcake came flying out of the bushes and over the fence. She landed with her feet planted firmly on the concrete ground. "You're going to let Penny go!" she announced, which had the villagers looking in her direction. "You're going to let her go right now, too! Come on, you disgusting pest!" She put one foot forward and made a fist with both her hands. "Let her down!"

Another gasp came from the animals.

"Hey!" Olive turned her head to eye the townspeople. "Is it possible to make an entrance without such an astonished audience? Jeez." She returned her attention to the three animals in front of the well with her gritted teeth. "Have you heard of something called redemption? I certainly have and if you ask me, that is what Penny deserves. Not death. Instead of going to the most extreme and threatening of all situations, why don't you try compromising first? Is it too much to ask? That way, you'd look more like trusted police officers. Not ridiculous idiots. Did that _ever_ occur to you?"

The two police officers stared at Cupcake. Penny didn't move. Booker said, "Arrest her!"

The commotion became more than overwhelming. All the animals started jumping the fence and attacking the two officers, including Cheri and Dizzy. Penny was knocked over, but quickly rose to her feet when Susanna lifted her up and proceeded to take her to Mathilda's house. At that same moment Olive and Pelly arrived and saw the disaster that was Penny's execution.

"Hey!" Pelly pointed in the distance. "Isn't that Mathilda over there?" After receiving a nod from Olive in response, they began running towards the black kangaroo. They followed her half-way to her house and noticed that she was with Susanna Ester. Seconds later, they saw that Vesta was chasing them and stopped. The sheep caught up and they said hello to each other since it was the first time they had spoken that day. They continued their path to Mathilda's house and upon arrival, knocked on the door continuously. Finally, the kangaroo answered the door.

"What? _What the hell do you animals want? Do you not see that I am busy and that I have other important things to do other than answer the door for filthy trash that doesn't have a meaning in this world and should be executed on the spot!_" Mathilda stopped to catch her breath. She realized that Olive, Pelly and Vesta were standing before her and she said, "Uh... hi? What do you want? I don't have all day, you know."

Inside Penny was being beaten physically by Susanna. When Olive, Pelly and Vesta noticed this, they barged passed Mathilda, which caused her to fall over, and attacked the purple-coated pig, while motioning for Penny to run for the front door. Susanna started screaming for help, and Olive and Pelly quickly fled from the house. They helped the mouse and began running to the train station with Vesta behind them. As if somewhat coincidental, a train's horn was blowing from the western end of Veltron, indicating that one was ready to pull into the station.

When they arrived, Pelly ran up to Porter and asked him when the train would be departing.

"In five minutes," was his response. "If you want to buy a ticket, then you're going to have to right now. The office will close in three minutes until the next train arrives." Pelly purchased a ticket immediately and handed it to Penny, who was no longer hand-cuffed. The animals ripped the bandana off her face, and Olive took her by the shoulders and looked at her in the eye.

"Listen, Penny," they all said. "There isn't much time. You have got to get on this train and flee for another town or else you are not going to live. As much as we either hate or love you, _you must leave no matter what_. This is your last chance for survival. Booker and Copper will be here shortly, and if they catch you, it won't be you alone that has the anchor attached to their leg at the bottom of the pond. You are aware of this. Get on the train right now. Leave!" Vesta pushed her onto the train.

Penny nodded. "Wait! ...My house still has some things I need to take with me. Two of you have to run back and get them. I need them."

Both Pelly and Vesta decided to return to Penny's house, leaving Olive and Penny by themselves.

"...Why the hell are you helping me?" Penny asked Olive. The bear looked at her. "You said that you hate me and that you could never forgive me for everything I've done this past week. I totally respect that, because if I were you and were me, then I would never look at your face again. I suppose this must mean that your heart is, maybe, not as cold as mine. I was always told that I could never stand up and just be who I was—who I am. Sometimes I believed that. I believed that I could never be me. But you opened my eyes, Olive. You and your cousins helped me. So did T-Bone and Vesta and everybody else. You breathed new life into me. I need to take what I've learned and use it properly... to wherever this train takes me."

Olive smiled speechlessly.

Pelly and Vesta returned with two suitcases full of different articles. One carried four pairs of clothing, bath necessities and three pillows, two of which were couch pillows. The other pillow was falling apart. The second suitcase carried a fragile exotic lamp, a computer with wires, kitchen utensils, an owl clock, and the modern bed pieces that Penny would have to reassemble when she arrived at her new home. She gracefully accepted the suitcases and thanked Pelly and Vesta for retrieving her belongings.

"Really, thank you so much! I love you all!" Penny exclaimed. "You will always hold a special place in my heart. I love you, Olive! I love you too, Pelly, Vesta! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!" The mouse took her seat on the train as it was about to pull out of Veltron station. "When I settle in my new home, I'm going to write all of you. Try not to change your addresses! Say hello to everybody for me! Say hello to Cleo, that old horse she is, and say hello to Cheri and Cupcake for me, Olive!" As the train began departing the station, Penny looked outside the window and screamed, "_Girls!_ I have one final thing to request of you!"

"What's that?" Vesta asked. The train was pulling out of the station.

Penny inhaled a deep breath of air. "Whenever you see T-Bone... tell him that I loved him and it's too bad things ended up this way. Also, please tell Dizzy that I'm sorry and that I'll write him too someday! Remember that he cannot change his address!" She blew kisses as the train's horn began to whistle. "Goodbye! Goodbye! _Goodbye!_"

The train sped off into the distance with the echoes of Penny screaming, "Goodbye! Goodbye! _Goodbye!_" filling the hearts and memories of the three animals standing by. They continued to watch as the train sped off into the Veltron Tunnel. Finally, the smoke had entirely disappeared. Then they returned to the well.

To their surprise, the Wishing Well was empty. The townspeople were gone and the stage had been taken away. Only Cheri and Cupcake were standing at the well, looking up at the great big tree that it was erected into. As Olive, Pelly and Vesta approached the two bears, Cupcake started frantically saying, "What happened to her? Is she all right? I wonder, is she... free?"

Vesta told them the story, and how Penny asked them to inform T-Bone that she loved him.

In the moonlight of the dark evenings that Veltron experienced over the course of the following two weeks, howls could be heard; they were carried on the wind. Some animals refer to it as Penny's spirit haunting the town, but others call it a brand new beginning for the mouse, full of wild adventures that were to last a lifetime. As time passed, the villagers hoped to forget Penny and what she did to Veltron. Cheri, Olive and Cupcake would never forget her; she was a running engine that would blow up and refuel all over again.

The cousins couldn't wait for Sunday, June 30. They would see Maple once again.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: Woo! Talk about exciting! I never thought I'd get this chapter done, but here it is! And just to let everybody know, there will be two more chapters of this fanfic! Not just did I think I would be discontinuing it by the third chapter, but I would have never predicted it to come all the way to the end! I amaze myself sometimes. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and prepare yourself for the final two!


	14. Orange Ribbon

**COUSINS  
****Chapter 14: Orange Ribbon**

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The weather was very mixed for the following two weeks: it was generally cloudy and rainy during the day and clear at night. A day after Penny's departure a meeting was held at the Wishing Well. Few animals attended since it discussed the likeliness of the Veltron government letting the mouse have her freedom or not. Lieutenant Booker announced that they would not chase her, but that she was not permitted re-entrance at any given time. The police station held a party to commemorate the awkward event.

"It's Saturday afternoon and I feel like I just woke up," Olive complained. She sat in a new orange living chair that Cheri had purchased from Tom Nook's three days before. "The sun is shining like a diamond and the wind is calm as the village's current mood. Oh, and of course, my head is hard as rock, which is kind of like Susanna Ester's cooking! We'd best avoid it." The grey bear laughed.

In the kitchen Cupcake was baking a cake. "If you asked me to get out of this house," she began as she placed colourful sprinkles on the frosting, "my answer would be, 'it's dazzling outside! Why would you waste your day in here when nothing exciting happens anyway? Visit your friends or go down to the dock and try fishing for a while!'" She shrugged at her own suggestion.

Despite the day's beauty, Olive was not feeling up to leaving the abode. She was tired and in no mood for perking up.

"Honestly, Olive!" Cupcake exclaimed in a peachy voice. "You need to go have some fun. Light a spark in your imagination and you'll be hopping out of here on your left foot! Cheri and T-Bone have been at Nookington's since 10:00 AM, but here's the other bear lounging about without a thing to do. I warn you that you don't have all of forever to live." She picked up the cake and placed in on the counter. "Now I really hope Maple enjoys this cake. It's chocolate-covered vanilla, her favourite! Coincidentally, my favourite too." Cupcake licked her lips unintentionally.

"Zesty," joked Olive. "Maybe you're right. I'll go see Cleo! Since she's relatively old, she might require some help. I could do her grocery shopping or retrieve an item that one of her neighbours borrowed." The grey bear levitated from the chair and slipped her feet into her sandals. "Then I will see you later, Cupcake."

Cupcake was glad that Olive was gone. She was capable of playing her hard rock music as loud as she wanted to; there would be no complaints! She quickly opened the CD player sitting on the counter and inserted one of her favourite albums. It was dated 1995.

"_I've made up my mind! One thousand times! Is this why I've been left behind? Please don't leave me to survive! 'Cuz there's no way that I'll stay alive! You've got to quit counting! Such torture is mounting! Here we go down from five! Here we go down from five! Down, down, down, down, down from five! Yeah, yeah, yeah!_"

Undoubtedly, "Down" was Cupcake's favourite song—even one decade after its release.

"A couple more touches on this cake... ooh, it really does look unbelievable! I'd better make sure that the others don't do anything suspicious to it. I should be very careful too." She started to laugh hysterically. It had been three hours since she started baking the cake and she was adding the finishing touches. From the top of the cake would hang one slice of banana: another one of Maple's favourites.

"Now this is what I call a cake!" Cupcake beamed at her work.

The cake would not be eaten for some days though. Cupcake continued singing "Down" as she placed the cake in the refrigerator, which was still fairly empty. There was a lot of room and she didn't have to worry about it tipping over; the cake would be fine. After she closed the door, the pink bear mumbled a few words to herself. Deciding that she would visit the Able Sisters and design patterns for clothing, she grabbed her purse and put on her high heels. She exited the house.

---

"Blast through the waves!" Cheri cried out. She waved her hands as she pretended that she was water-skiing. "Man, I haven't done something like this since my mother wanted to spend her Bells on a lavish boat ride around Crossing Lake! That was such a long time ago! This experience is so much more than just nostalgic. It's also a great way to rid of your worries! Stand up and scream! _Scream!_" The red bear collapsed backwards. She laughed.

Cheri, Dizzy and T-Bone decided to use their additional money by renting a boat and have some fun. Exhausted from the entire fiasco with Penny, Dizzy was interested in doing something that he referred to as "mind-reassuring" and "relaxing". He was feeling better about himself and began telling stories of his promiscuous father and the problems that his mother dealt with. Cheri and T-Bone listed attentively. When he was finished talking, he laid on his back and looked up at the cloud-driven sky.

It was still unusual for T-Bone to wake up and see an empty house next to his. What shocked him more than that was when Olive explained how Penny held a serious crush on him that she wanted to elevate to the next level. The bull was strongly taken back by this; he had always felt that she was someone he could become very good friends with, but not get involved romantically with. Secretly, he was somewhat pleased with Penny's departure since they would be unable to hook up with her gone.

T-Bone turned his attention away from Penny and to his two friends. Dizzy was still looking at the sky and Cheri was about to fall overboard. She was screaming different phrases and claimed that she owned the animal world. "Look at me! Woo! You cannot steal my pride from me!" she repeatedly bellowed. "You cannot do anything to me, for I am immortal! I am more than free, because I am more than just me! It is awesome to be me...!" She wasn't planning on stopping. The boys feared she was going to fall into the water and not care about what she had landed in. They looked at each other. Dizzy then looked in Cheri's direction.

"Ah... why don't you settle down, Cheri?" he asked her. "You're right—it's the greatest feeling to be free; I concur and whatnot. But did it ever occur to you that people might consider you a basket case aboard a little speed boat in the middle of the water near the shores of Veltron beach? Please watch your sanity, thank you." He ended his sentence reluctantly and ignored the red bear.

Cheri calmed down. "Yes, I think I can settle down now. Sorry about all the energy I've got today. And it's because of all this energy that I'm going to stand up again"—she rose as she spoke—"and start screaming very publicly, '_Yay! He accepted my proposal! Oh, my heaven, we're actually going to be married! This is the best moment of my life! We're actually getting married! MY GOD!_'" The bear began jumping up and down, which caused the boat to heavily rock back and forth.

Dizzy and T-Bone were fired up. They pushed their friend overboard and watched her scream as she fell into the water.

Fifteen minutes passed. Dizzy and T-Bone resisted the temptation to allow Cheri back in the boat. Eventually, she became fed up and swam for shore. The boys followed swiftly, and when they arrived, she was involved in a conversation with Mathilda and Susanna Ester. They were mind-boggled at why she was speaking with them. All around fruit was falling, courtesy of Static, who was setting up a picnic. It looked like the animals were going to have lunch on the beach.

"Hey everybody!" Cheri called out to Dizzy and T-Bone. "Since I'm soaking wet now, I figured that I'd join the girls and Static on their fabulous picnic this afternoon. After all, it _is_ darling today and the sun is absolutely ravishing! Not that I don't find everyday—rainy days included—ravishing. Whether it's rain or sun, I'm happy. Get it? _Whether_ it's rain or sun? Ha ha!" She started laughing at her joke.

Susanna responded to the joke. "It's interesting, Cheri; I saw that you were having the time of your life out at sea," she said. "Dizzy was with you, and so was T-Bone, I see. We're all out and soaking up the sun today, even if it's partly cloudy. That must mean we all share similar longings. I'm not certain whether that's a good or bad thing, but here I am with my best friends. We're going to be enjoying a lovely picnic here. And it seems as though Cheri has already invited herself. Mathilda is a splendid chef and would never give away food for free, that being a ham sandwich or pepperoni pizza, which are delectable. Everything she cooks is simply five-star worthy."

"Enough compliments now, Susanna! You might be my best friend, but you must know when to stop pulling a lady's teeth!" Mathilda cried. The two laughed instantly as they flicked their hair at one another. "I made some fantastic food; yes, watch me toot my own horn. You may snack on it or stuff it in your face. It doesn't matter which, as long as you are satisfied and do not complain to the chef." She poured the animals a mug of boiling tea. "Cheri and friends, you are welcome to join us if you'd like. Don't fret over the month's now-infamous dinner. I'm over that and Susanna wrote the evening's events in her diary and transformed it into a rather amusing parody. Please, sit down, all of you." The kangaroo sat on the blanket and motioned for them to join her. "Really, please join us. There's enough food to go around."

T-Bone wiped his brow. "I wasn't present at the dinner, but let's not reminisce on such a... tragedy. It _did_ result in Penny's exodus."

Susanna spat. "How dare you refer to that ugly being! Not only is she—"

"Please, forget about her!" Static interrupted. "Can we have an everyday, ordinary conversation without exploding on each other? Let's put it most blatantly: Penny is gone and there is nothing we can do about it. The story ends here. Now on a new topic... Dizzy! How is that train station model coming along? A number of very reliable sources indicate that you are having much difficulty and very little success. Do tell us the story." The squirrel sipped his tea, which was still hot.

Dizzy laughed sarcastically. "Difficulty? _Difficulty you call it?_ It has already collapsed three times! I call it bewildering lunacy. One, it's been incomplete for many years, and two, it's become my number-one aggravation. There is no use in discussing the train station model. I still can't grasp the concept that the experts have been using for the past forty years. It's something that... walks through my ears, I'spose."

"You're working on the train model station? Dizzy, you are?" Mathilda asked. She seemed skeptical. "Hasn't it been five years now? If you're not having any luck, you should return to work full-time. You haven't been in the Able Sisters cellar for over two years. I _have_ been keeping count."

Shocked, Cheri almost spilled her tea as she turned to Dizzy. "You work at the Able Sisters? I never knew that!"

The elephant shrugged. "I guess most people don't."

---

It was 8:00 PM. The sun was setting on the horizon as it started raining.

Cheri, Olive and Cupcake were at the train station wearing their most-prized outfits. Momentarily, a train would be pulling into the station; the same train that carried their friend Maple, along with her graduating class. The three waited impatiently. The scheduled arrival time was 8:05 PM, but the cousins did not take their eyes off the tunnel the transportation vehicle would come from, even as the clock read 8:15 PM. The train was delayed.

Finally, it came.

As the doors opened, a very plump male octopus stepped onto the platform, taking his first breath in Veltron. A pencil was resting on his left ear, which revealed that he was one of Maple's much-talked about professors. The cousins were unable to confirm which he was, however, because she had three professors that were octopuses, and coincidentally, all were red. After he descended the train station steps, the octopus scanned the terrain. He turned back to the train, nodded, and then waved, which signaled nine animals.

First, a cat stepped off the train. He was followed by two mice who looked like younger relatives of Penny's and a female eagle with large wings. The fifth animal was a petite alligator and an orange-coloured squirrel followed after him. A taller brown bear was the train's seventh departed customer and the eighth was a male sheep. The final animal to exit the train was Maple. Her brown fur sparkled in the raining moonlight and her red lips glared like a distant mirror. Cheri, Olive and Cupcake were blinded by its flash, but mobbed her the moment she placed her feet on Veltron's soil. She was wearing a lot of make-up.

"How long has it been?"

"Oh my, you've grown so tall!"

"That orange ribbon in your hair is beautiful! Fabulous, really!"

Maple informed her professor, Mr. Octavian, that she would not have to reside with her graduating class for the following three days. He already knew of the general details and said that everything had been arranged. The four bears were ecstatic and headed towards the cousins domicile before the professor dismissed them. They were too excited to bother with school-related topics at this moment.

"Talk about a revolution!" Maple couldn't believe her eyes. She examined her friends. "You girls look so spiffy. When you left home two months ago, I feared that running your lives and becoming independent was going to be challenging. Not only have I been proved wrong, but those are some of the most stylish outfits I have seen in a long time. Wow! This is so... I don't know what to say!"

Cupcake gasped. "Wait... _what?_ Are you implying that my Zebra Print is uglier than _this_ outfit? What are you talking about, Maple? This is one of the ugliest clothing pieces I own!" The bear started throwing a paroxysm. "..._Oh, whatever!_ You're just being nice." Maple laughed. Cupcake continued, "Although you've barely seen any of Veltron, what do you think of it thus far? Personally, the décor was hard adjusting to. In the beginning I didn't like it, but now I like it! Can you believe I'm saying this, girls?_ I like it!_"

A smile came to Maple's face. She applauded her friend.

"That's rather entertaining. Whatever happened to that Cupcake I used to know?" asked the brown bear. "Remember, the one who would declare something and never turn back on her diagnosis? She's disappeared! She's been replaced by a positive, rebellious and sensitive Cupcake! Sometimes change is the best thing that can happen to an animal, and in this case it's more than the best! My pink-furred friend, you've done so much! You continue to brighten my face with every work you speak. I really am every word you ever said." Thrilled, the two bears shared a lengthy embrace in which Cheri began making fun of after a while. They just laughed.

Maple eyed Olive peculiarly.

"Olive, sweetheart... you no longer possess the negativity of being embarrassed. It looks like your time here changed you too. Now you're outgoing... I can see it in your eyes. An adoring and spunky young woman. Hiding your face from the world never did you any good, but that's not at the top of your list anymore, is it? Instead of dwindling at the bottom, you've ascended... to the top of your _own_ list! ...Was that cheesy? I'm sorry!" Olive punched her friend in the arm and they quickly hugged.

Then she looked at Cheri.

"I believe... you have changed greatly. That girl I remember... that girl who would spend her days writing sad songs in her closet. She... died, leaving this world a realistic bear who wanted to spend her days not having to care about what the world wanted to do or say—the world is in your command, and you can run across the desert without having to wonder what your friends are thinking. It's dignity. It's more important than being locked in your room. You're free, Cheri." They nodded, but didn't exchange a friendly welcoming.

The cousins were excited to show Maple their house.

"Girls," whispered Maple. "Don't wither away. You've evolved from what you were to become the divas you are. I wouldn't consider any of you—because it would be wrong—better than the other, but I would like to thank you for being there anytime I needed a friend; a hand to hold or a foot to fit a shoe... and everything else I cannot think of right now." She shook hands with her three friends. Maple began crying softly.

They entered the house.

Maple wasn't surprised. Either way, she released a piercing gasp. "_This is gorgeous! _Your interior design has not failed you at all, Cupcake! Awesome job! Absolutely mind-blowing!" She clasped her hands and sighed with ease. "You really know how to make a girl jealous, you know that?" She sighed again, this time growling to no one's realization.

Maple didn't take all her time to scan every single point in the house, but she constantly searched through the bureaus and drawers, ensuring that everything was in order. The brown bear was selective whenever she was picky about a certain stench or lukewarm toward a decoration; sometimes she felt that it was best for the cousins to make their own choices. Truthfully, she thought that the house could have been more proper, but she didn't complain. Most of it was ordered nicely anyway, which was the way Cheri and Olive generally liked it.

"It's great knowing that you keep this house clean and tidy. Since I'm going to be leaving my parents, I too will be able to experience the long-awaited peace I've been dying for. We'll see if I make it on my own... it doesn't look _that_ difficult. Wow, how do you manage to live such staggering lives? I haven't even been here fifteen minutes and I'm already dying to know your secrets! _Good job!_"

There was no doubt that Maple was enjoying herself.

"Don't be so sweet," Olive snarled sarcastically. "It's not going to make us love you anymore than we already do. Pace yourself."

It was certain that the next tow days would be filled with exhilaration. The 30th would be filled with enjoyment so indescribable that all the daily-planned touring was likely not going to be completed. July 1st was the Fireworks Festival, which would be the best way to end their adventure together. The cousins didn't want to say goodbye to their friend, but Maple had to attend her prom and graduate appropriately. Things were not going to take a turn for the worse—they wouldn't count on it; they didn't need it.

They had two days to have fun.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: Well, that's it! I can barely believe that there is only one chapter remaining! I'd like to thank all of my reviewers who stuck through this story with me the entire way: Whinnie, Greki, MeowZaa, Sparklypiggy, and Queenofmarine. You have all been a barrel of inspiration, and thank you for your positive reviews on this what I figured was a wannabe fanfic. Now I think the exact opposite of it! And it's all thanks to you guys and girls!

I know this is going to seem strange (especially for me), but I didn't think writing from third-person was going to be simple. I suppose I was wrong. It came to me, and Cheri, Olive and Cupcake definitely blossomed from three girls with three different personalities: peppy, shy and snobby. The bear that went through the most radical change would definitely be Olive, hands-down.

Well, that's it for me! The next chapter will be the last! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with me the whole way through! May your days be filled with happiness and joy! Goodbye for now... perhaps we will meet again.


	15. What Life Is All About

**COUSINS  
Chapter 15: What Life Is All About**

* * *

Maple was astounded: Veltron was paradise compared to her college dormitory. The fields were filled with summertime fragrances, the ocean was immense and glittered in the sunshine, and the heat of the sun itself was comforting without being too mild. The landscape was enriched with butterflies of assorted colours and dragonflies that flew as fast as the town bullet train. Maple was most impressed with the waterfall, which was the largest and most wondrous attraction she had seen in all her life.

"When was this village established?" Maple asked her cousins. "When was... um, conscription?"

"A very long time ago," Cupcake responded. "The mayor was unsure whether or not he'd wanted to open it to the general public. Finally, he decided that it would be okay as long as he didn't have to bother with administration duties and such. That was about nine or ten years ago. Somewhere around that time period." She adjusted the hat on her head, which was sagging to one side.

Maple nodded rapidly. "I see, I see. Do tell me what you know about this breathtaking waterfall!" She began taking pictures of the landmark with a disposable camera. "A monstrosity like this should be printed in newspapers across the country and cited as one of the top tourist attractions! It has a refined, stunning and touching background! It's nothing short of passionate—the romances that bloom underneath the rushing water and the natural existence beyond those desirable eyes. The expressions are as crisp as they are haunting! Oh, I could write a best-selling novel!" The brown bear could not seem to stop herself.

To avoid her non-stop rantings, Cheri and Olive decided to take a walk along the riverside. While they enjoyed spending time with their friend, they knew that it was difficult to control her after she got out of hand. This led them to switching priorities and they crept away as Maple maintained her verbal rambling; it was obvious that her interest in the waterfall was her first concern.

"Now it's not that her words are wasted, but sometimes Maple should digress. The only problem in that department is that it wouldn't be her style, would it? That's why we love her!" Olive commented as she sat down beside the river. "She's... someone who has charisma, but she'd never let it get the best of her. The only time to stay away from her is when she's had one too many caffeine-fused beverages. That's when you take immediate cover." She gawked at the thought and added, "Frightening it would be."

Cheri nodded. "Hm, let's forget about Maple for a minute. Today's the first of July, which means that the Fireworks Ceremony is tonight. I can't wait to see the sky lit up by thousands of dazzling colours and explosions! The three of us and Maple have yet to experience a show as extravagant as the one that will be in front of our eyes tonight. It's awkward to think about the number of pyrotechnics that have been working for the last three-sixty-five days. It's cool when you think of it that way." She began daydreaming.

The girls encountered Cleo as they continued walking. The elderly horse informed them that she was proceeding to the pond early since she was unable to view the fireworks over the heads of the other animals. She claimed, "I'm far too old! My neck gets a crick... it's going to tonight too! As long as I'm close to the pond, there's always the reflection in the water. I'll see the fireworks one way or another!"

Without realizing it, Cheri and Olive had arrived at Vesta's house. They knocked on the door and was greeted by the sheep. She invited them inside.

In typical fashion, Vesta's house was well-dressed and beautifully adorned. The wallpaper had changed since the last time they had visited, but the rest of her place was relatively the same. She had purchased a couple new vases that complemented the living room's sewing machine and the paintings were of a higher social ranking than the ones sold at Tom Nook's shop. It was the bear's ideal home away from home.

"Tea?" Vesta asked the cousins. "The kettle's boiling a sizzling pot today. I've put in some lemon with an additional squirt of lime. Can you believe that I've finally ordered something from the other side of the country? Lime! _Lime!_ I want to hold a party, but... oh, I am being so silly. We should have a tea party! That's a magnificent idea since I have the appropriate ingredients." The sheep entered her kitchen and tied an apron around her waste. The rich fragrance of coffee also came from the kitchen.

"I should go get Cupcake and Maple," said Cheri. "I'm sure they'd like to have tea. And I'm positive Maple would like to meet Vesta!"

---

The majority of animals were excited about the looming Fireworks Ceremony. Dizzy and T-Bone were visiting the Museum to allow the time to pass and Punchy had assembled a medical stand next to the pond in the event of grave emergency. He was spreading violet petals around the acre too, likely from the flowers in Violet Meadows. Mathilda and Susanna Ester were looking forward to the festival too—they had purchased expensive new outfits from Nookington's to wear that evening.

"I don't think I've seen this many of the townsfolk out on one night!" Olive exclaimed. "It's as though we're going to a wedding!"

"It _definitely_ feels like that," agreed Cheri. "Though it's strange to see so many animals taking it so seriously. It would be so unusual if the media showed up or something, right?" She laughed hysterically. "Just imagine that. Anyway, I think we should go see Pelly. Did you hear the bodacious rumours? Apparently she has tomorrow off from work and Phyllis has to work for the next twenty-four hours! How could they do that to the bird, even if she is very... unfriendly? Do you know what I mean? The poor bird!"

Olive spat. "How obnoxious. She can work the entire day. After all, her mood is entwined with her work habits... and hours."

Pelly wasn't at home, and left a notice on her front door stating that she had gone to the pond early in order to set up a booth of her own. It contained many different items including pamphlets chronicling the top summer destinations of the past ten years, commemorative stamps, exquisitely-designed stationery, and palm fans. The pelican was wearing a lot of sun screen and sunglasses that were so white they almost vanished into her feathers. The cousins greeted her.

"Good almost evening!" Pelly shouted. "Your outfits are awfully flashy. I presume they're more of Nook's, ordered directly from Fauna magazine headquarters."

"There's a definite likeliness," Cheri said as she applied make-up to her nose. "You're feeling better, by the way? I heard you caught a cold after Penny's infamous runaway. I've been visiting the Post Office a lot lately and Phyllis is always sitting behind the business window. She seems to be fed up with having to manage the entire office both nightly _and_ daily now. Of course, I visit her only to further her suffering. I apologize if you find this irritating, Pelly."

The pelican shook her head. "I am better, thank you for asking," she responded, "but don't worry about Phyllis—she's got her head screwed on right, even though she has people-person troubles. I don't blame her, really, since she's been working the evening hours longer than I've lived in Veltron. It must have been more painful then than it is now, only because it was harder to finish all the work when the population was sparse. You'd understand what I'm saying if you worked in a similar office, so I'm sorry for pushing the button."

"Don't worry," Olive reassured her. "I understand your drift. Say, why did you decide to open a stand anyway? I would assume you make a lovely kilogram or two on your payday..." Her voice trailed off. The bear did not want to impose on her friend's income because it was none of her business.

"I make a lot of Bells, so I'm out here for the pleasure of supporting the office!" exclaimed Pelly. She seemed to enjoy engaging in topics concerning herself or the Post Office. "Well, not quite the office itself... but the office's employees! Pete does such a fantastic job of delivering the mail and Phyllis... it may surprise you, but even though she's worked there longer than I have, her income is far less; to add to her frustration, she's the one responsible for administrative duties pertaining the Post Office. In this case I find it appropriate to help out a fellow pelican, whether the village views her as a bigger snob than Mathilda or an innocent victim like Dizzy." She took a bow as though she had completed a difficult dance to perform.

Cheri rolled her eyes. "An innocent victim? That would be me too—but if you insist! Phyllis is crude, without a doubt. Maybe I pity her somewhat for being thirty-five years of age and stuck working for the town's busiest—there's more traffic at the Post Office than at Nook's—establishment. Otherwise, she knows how to be unsophisticated and fills our heads with disgusting offense and vulgar language. Also, she likes to talk about her sex life! _Who does that?_ Honestly, it's nothing but pitiful." After she finished speaking, the red bear stomped off in irritation and Olive followed her once she said goodbye to Pelly, who waved in return.

It was close to 6:00 PM and the fireworks would begin in an hour's time. Cupcake and Maple had returned to the cousin's place to prepare for the evening's event. Because she was the fashion professional in the family, Cupcake lamented the outfits she would not be garbed in and chose to wear her most expensive Gracie-brand gown: the Swell Shirt. It was the second-most requested Gracie outfit in the country as of June, but bizarrely more expensive than the more popular Gracie Shirt, which pleased Cupcake. She curled her hair specifically so that it stood on an angle. Her intent was to look like a movie star from the 1930s, but the modern gown slightly sabotaged her arrangement. To protrude from the crowd, she dyed her hair faintly purple.

Maple always referred to herself as "fashionably-screwed". The only issue that she had with Cupcake was that she loathed Gracie and her designs; she thought of them as "too competitive" to that of the Fauna magazine-inspired clothing sold at Tom Nook's or the handmade-stocked attire at the Able Sisters. Tonight, Maple decided to go for a 1930s look as well, dressing herself in the infamous Toad Print, a difficult dress to come by since it had not been on the market since the 1950s. She argued that it had more class than the Swell Shirt, but Cupcake's comebacks were difficult to tackle. Instead, she focused on fixing her hair.

Soon after, Cheri and Olive entered the house and began dressing themselves for the event. With Cupcake's permission, they borrowed two Loud Bloom Shirts and applied eye-shadow called "coffee stains". The lipstick was maroon and in a similar style to the other bears, they decorated their hair in a fashion that was popular from the 1930s. Olive was quick to object to curling her hair, though, because she had trouble restoring her former style. Cheri sighed about this, but she knew that her cousin was not going to follow through.

At 6:35 PM, the bears headed for the pond. Before they reached the acre, it was evident that most of the animals had already arrived. A large bulletin board was erected near the upstream river, which stated that a dance competition was to be held later in the evening. It was tradition for Veltron to convene a yearly competition, but the date was never announced by the town's staff, which indicated that it would be organized for one festival randomly. The three cousins found it abnormal that the event was to be held that evening, but they were overjoyed because Maple would be able to participate.

Olive counted more than thirty animals, and they assumed that every resident of Veltron was present. The Mayor was worn out from the fiasco with Penny, but he was quietly standing with his cane at the acre's edge, trying to look his best (he was dressed in a style from olden days too). In his hands were several programs, which documented the event's activities. He handed one to the girls. It read:

---

_Tonight's fireworks will proceed to begin promptly at 7:00 PM! _

At 9:00 PM, the fireworks will adjourn, and the Dance Floor Competition will begin promptly. At this time we request that you make your way to Acre F-5, the dock. A disc jockey will be present, and you may request songs that go back thirty years.  
_  
Let us all wish Veltron a very happy birthday!_

---

The fireworks started appearing in the night sky following the 7:00 PM town bell. The villagers began cheering loudly as the explosions boomed one by one in the sky. The atmosphere grew lively and animals began telling infectious stories of their experiences before moving to Veltron. One of the villagers who had lived in Veltron longest was Butch, the dog whom the cousins invited to dinner a few days after moving in.

"Amazing! How incredible! How pure!" Maple bellowed. She was impressed with the fireworks show.

For two hours, the fireworks show continued like a rainbow blown to a billion bits. As they radiated, the animals jumped and cried earsplitting "oohs" and "aahs". Dizzy was the most vocal, sitting on the opposite side of the pond, bouncing and jumping every time a Christmas-like colour appeared. He was filled with excitement and whistled a high-pitch squeal too.

Mathilda and Susanna Ester were sitting on the pond's eastern end, but they were gossiping more than watching the fireworks. When Static joined them at 7:30, they became more fixed on enjoying the show, even when temptations began lingering. Cupcake noticed that Susanna was wearing a bonnet that had her name sewed on it; what made her jealous was that it was sparkling. She ignored the pig's insistence and reoccupied herself with the fireworks that reflected in the pond.

"Why, that one was fantastic!" Punchy shouted from one side of the pond.

By 8:30, some of the animals had grown bored. Mathilda and Susanna were gossiping and Static tried ignoring them by repositioning himself closer to the cousins and Maple. Pink and purple fireworks were added to the assortment of explosions, which restrengthened some of the residents attention. Lady Cleo was applauding constantly since she was no longer interested in cheering and screaming; her old age was taking its toll. Butch walked away from the pond moments later, and Olive noticed him leaving from the side of her eye. Her gaze followed his trajectory and she saw him jump onto a platform near the dock. Assuming this was the stage for the upcoming dance competition, the grey bear ignored its presence and turned her head back to see a large multi-coloured explosion. The crowd applauded.

The fireworks ended with a grand detonation of collective colours. Everybody cheered and discussion broke out as the animals ascended from the grass and made their way to the dock. Because some animals were not interested in the competition, the number decreased once Cheri, Olive, Cupcake and Maple arrived in Acre A-5. The affair was luxurious.

Mayor Tortimer was standing on the stage Olive saw earlier. He grabbed the microphone attached to the stage and said, "It is wonderful to see so many of Veltron's animals coming out for this year's competition, and I hope that you all participate in it with admirable interest. Whomever can dance the longest without stopping for a single second will win a prize. This prize is very wonderful and I'm positive that everyone will dance to whatever groovy beat played on the jukebox." He turned and pointed at the metre-long jukebox accompanied by six amplifiers. He started speaking faster, "The prize is 100,000 Bells and a new wide-screen television set!"

Everybody gasped. It was atypical for the Veltron government to offer such a large sum of money.

"Last year's karaoke competition—I still think it was a harebrained proposal—drew eleven contestants with a grand prize of 10,000 Bells. Instead of simply upgrading the prize by another 10,000 Bells, we found it appropriate to enlarge it by an incredible 90,000 Bells _and_ throw in the TV set!" The Mayor accidentally let go of the microphone, which stumbled and hit the ground, creating interference through the loudspeakers. Everybody covered their ears. "Sorry!" he continued with the absence of the microphone. "Now, please step onto the dance platform to your left"—the animals complied—"and the competition will begin! You have three minutes to discuss your 'game' strategy."

Before the Mayor finished speaking, Dizzy, T-Bone and Vesta decided that they were going to try dancing. Pelly and Static followed instantly and Mathilda too found her way to the platform as she smiled willingly. It was only Cheri, Olive and Cupcake who were unsure of what they were going to do. Were they doing to dance? They pondered the thought for a minute—was it worth spending so much time dancing? Since the competition was not going to end until the last animal remained, it was possible that they were going to consume most of their time outdoors that night. They were uncertain.

"You know what, girls?" came Maple's voice. "You need to participate. If your current loan is less than 100,000 Bells, you'll be able to pay it off and have leftover cash, right? To add to that, wouldn't it be wonderful to have a new TV set? I know it would be! Here, I'll also participate! If I win, we can split the prize money or... something! We will decide later." Her words sounded sour, but faithful. "Now get your bodies onto that platform!"

The competition began. Olive was surprised to hear "Morning Glory" boom from the loudspeakers and she turned to her cousins with a huge grin on her face. "We can do this! We can really do this! As long as there's a song that has my name written all over it, I am going to do this all night long! This party doesn't officially start until you've got your best friends dancing with you. In my new and improved perky state—totally separate from the gloomy old Olive—I choose the two of you as my best friends! Get up there! Before we can't enter!"

"Fine!" cried Cheri.

"You're going to regret this if we lose!" Cupcake said darkly. Her toned brightened immediately. "Oh, I'm kidding! Let's dance already!"

Olive smiled. "A competition—fun, furious, and full of drama."

The cousins hurried to the platform and danced next to their best friends, with Maple behind them. Dizzy, T-Bone and Vesta were enjoying themselves and even Mathilda and Static were unable to stop moving at rapid speeds. Although Susanna Ester declined the offer to dance, Punchy ascended the stage halfway through "Morning Glory" and everybody looked at each other. They agreed that fun was what life was about.

Everything was coming together: Olive finally succeeded and got a job as an upcoming artist for the Veltron Museum, and she dreamed to one day have her work exhibited at the main museum in the country's capital city. Cupcake was becoming more acquainted with her job at the Able Sisters with help from Mathilda, and Dizzy would return to work for them by the end of July, which excited the two of them. Cheri was applying for a job at the Post Office; she requested evening hours from 6:00 PM to midnight, reprieving Phyllis of five hours which she could use to get more sleep. Pelly thanked Cheri for turning over a new leaf.

Vesta was taking a needed summer vacation. She explained that she would be leaving the second week of July and returning the last week in August. Her visits would take her across the country, with a stop in the famous town of Anthrex, where she would be reacquainted with a former Veltron resident.

Dizzy and T-Bone were taking classes at the Police Station and training to become Lieutenant Booker and Officer Copper's successors. Although this would not be accomplished for a few years, they called it "a work in progress", and the town agreed with them. Dizzy was glad to be taking classes again, but he knew that his schedule could not create conflict with the Able Sisters; he did not want them to fire him. T-Bone was also happy to be working normal hours again.

Mathilda and Susanna Ester agreed on opening a shop. Named after one of Susanna's diary entries, "Veltron Goods" sold countless tourist souvenirs at endless rates. They would open one day after Mathilda's twenty-sixth birthday and one week before Susanna's twenty-fourth birthday. The only problem they had with becoming entrepreneurs were taxes, which most animals could never comprehend. They were praying for the best though.

Punchy was prepared to permanently leave Veltron. He was going to study medicine in a far-away town that was as unknown as Veltron.

Butch had yet to forgive the cousins for the incident they made him part of.

Static was ready to throw in the towel as a sophisticated squirrel. He no longer desired the lifestyle and decided to ready himself for a new adventure taking place on the sea. He joined Butch as a fisherman and sailor that earned a lot of respect from Mathilda and Susanna Ester, who decided that they would still make him part of their yearly dinners, one of which was secretly planned for Vesta's late-August return.

As the hours passed, the animals did not appear as though they were ready to give up.

"I really want that TV set, you know. I should have joined," Susanna commented irritably from beneath a nearby tree.

"...And I don't? Come on, now!" responded Mathilda and Static.

"Woo! Put on your dancing shoes!" Dizzy, T-Bone and Vesta laughed.

"I'm the queen of the world!" Maple shouted.

"That's right," Cheri and Cupcake said. "This is what life is all about!"

Olive nodded. "_Life_—fun, furious, and full of drama!"

The dancing and partying continued well into the night. Mayor Tortimer fell asleep on the stage, curled up in his shell as the music continued to blast from the amplifiers. Everybody danced. As the sun began rising over the horizon, a platform of animals and onlookers could still be seen from the distance.


End file.
